Major League Baseball is, by far, the most competitive league in the world. 30 teams, games almost every day, and precious little rest can drain the energy of players, coaches, and managers, especially those in contention for the postseason.
Cleveland Guardians skipper Stephen Vogt has experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly ever since taking over the team ahead of the 2024 season. After an exhausting first half in which the team finished 51-46, tied for first place in the AL Central, the manager wanted a few days to rest and recharge.
He did so with a close friend, who happens to lead another MLB club: former Guardians bench coach/assistant manager and current Baltimore Orioles skipper Craig Albernaz.
The two men and their families spent a few days together in one of the happiest places on earth.
“Guardians manager Stephen Vogt made a point of completely unplugging during the four-day All-Star break, spending three days with his family at Disney World in Orlando alongside Orioles manager and close friend Craig Albernaz and his family before turning his attention back to baseball,” Cleveland.com’s Joe Noga wrote.
It’s certainly not a bad way to unplug, sharing time with family and also with a close friend and fellow baseball guy.
When Vogt was announced as the Guardians’ manager after the 2023 campaign, the team revealed, in November of that year, that Albernaz was going to be the new bench coach after a stint in San Francisco with the Giants. Then, following the magical 2024 season, Cleveland promoted Albernaz to assistant manager.
Albernaz, like Vogt, is a young and talented baseball mind whose hunger and eagerness to lead a team eventually landed him a chance to manage an MLB team, in this case, the Orioles. He was announced as the bird’s skipper in October 2025.
Before Friday’s games, Albernaz had the Orioles with a 46-51 record.
The two men share more than the burden of making on-field decisions for the Guardians in 2024 and 2025. They share a friendship.
Now that the All-Star break is over, however, fans hope Vogt feels stronger and better than ever, fully recharged for what’s ahead. Friday’s game was postponed due to poor air quality, but the Guardians will officially return to play on Saturday afternoon against the Pittsburgh Pirates in their first game of the second half.
NEXT: Guardians-Pirates Game Postponed Due To Poor Air Quality
