After being released by the Twins at the end of the season, Rocco Baldelli didn’t have to wait long to find more opportunities. Baldelli told Dan Hayes of The Athletic that as many as 10 teams reached out to him after he was fired by Minnesota. The former head coach didn’t specify those roles, but it’s clear the league is interested in hiring him. While Baldelli may not return to coaching right away, he has expressed a willingness to return to management. “I would do it again one day if (the circumstances) matched up. I would love to be able to do it again. But I owe my family some time.“
Baldelli took over as Minnesota’s captain in 2019. He was the youngest head coach in the league when he took over. He led the club to immediate success, winning 101 games in his first season. The Twins improved by 23 wins from last season and won more than 100 games for the first time since 1965. Minnesota won the AL Central title for the first time since 2010, despite being swept by the Yankees in the ALDS. An outstanding marketing campaign in 2019 earned Baldelli American League Manager of the Year honors.
Minnesota won the AFC Central again in the shortened 2020 season, but was eliminated by Houston in the wild-card round. The club struggled in 2021 and 2022, finishing well below .500. Baldelli got the team back on track in 2023, leading them back to the playoffs. The captain won his first playoff series that year, sweeping Toronto in the wild-card round. The Twins will then be sent to the ALDS by the Astros.
The Twins had a winning record in 2024 but failed to make the playoffs. This past season was the worst of Baldelli’s tenure. The club managed just 70 wins and finished fourth in the AL Central for the second consecutive season. The disappointing results ultimately cost Baldelli his job.
Baldelli signed with the Rays after the 2010 season as a special assistant in baseball operations. He worked in the front office until 2015, when he became Tampa Bay’s first base coach. After three seasons in the first base box, Baldelli served as the team’s major league field coordinator for one year.
With the Padres now in the market for a new head coach, we could have as many as eight teams looking to fill the position. Skip Shoemaker was offered the job with the Rangers, but in addition to Baldelli’s former position in Minnesota, the Giants, Angels and Braves have openings. The Nationals, Orioles and Rockies finish the 2025 season under interim head coaches, but no one has said whether relievers will return. Baldelli’s name will likely appear on all of these shows. Even if he doesn’t get the executive job, he plans to work for a team in some capacity in 2026. “I may not be able to do that this year, but I fully expect to stay active.“
