Stephen Vogt has turned into one of the most successful managers in baseball since taking over the Cleveland Guardians, and it appears other teams have taken notice. Just days after Cleveland’s season ended with a loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series, a report surfaced that the Seattle Mariners may have their eye on him. Vogt is under contract with the Guardians after signing an extension before the 2025 season, so any move would be far from simple. Still, the possibility is enough to make Cleveland fans nervous.
Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan shared the news.
“The #Mariners appear to be interested in Stephen Vogt. Is he interested in them? That is the first question. The second, would the #Guardians trade him to Seattle??? Vogt, a 2-time AL manager of the year, signed a contract extension prior to the 2025 season,” Ruiter said.
The #Mariners appear to be interested in Stephen Vogt. Is he interested in them? That is the first question. The second, would the #Guardians trade him to Seattle??? Vogt, a 2-time AL manager of the year, signed a contract extension prior to the 2025 season.
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) October 21, 2026
There is a clear connection between Vogt and the Mariners. After retiring as a player, Vogt spent the 2023 season on Seattle’s coaching staff as a bullpen and quality control coach. That was his only season as a coach before Cleveland hired him to replace Terry Francona ahead of the 2024 season, so the Mariners know him well.
It is easy to see why another team would want him. In three seasons with the Guardians, Vogt has won three AL Central titles and taken Cleveland to the ALCS twice. He won Manager of the Year in his first season after leading the Guardians to 92 wins and a trip to the ALCS, then won it again in 2025 after Cleveland erased a massive deficit to catch Detroit for the division. This season, he guided the Guardians back from a 70-70 record in early September to another division crown, then led them to a historic comeback against the White Sox in the division series.
Trading a manager is rare, but it has happened before, and the Mariners have been part of it. Seattle allowed Lou Piniella to leave for Tampa Bay after the 2002 season in exchange for outfielder Randy Winn. Nearly a decade later, the White Sox sent Ozzie Guillén to the Marlins in a deal that brought back prospects. If the Mariners are serious about Vogt, the Guardians would almost certainly demand significant compensation.
There is no indication that Vogt wants to leave. He has repeatedly spoken about how much he enjoys leading this group, and after Monday’s loss, he praised everyone in the organization, from the players and coaches to the front office. He also told his team to let the loss fuel them over the winter, which sounded like a manager already looking ahead to next season in Cleveland.
The Guardians have also built their recent success around stability, and Vogt has quickly become a big part of that identity. Losing him would be a major blow to a team that is already facing questions about free agents like Austin Hedges and Nathaniel Lowe and rumors involving Steven Kwan.
For now, this is just interest from Seattle. But with a manager this successful, it may not be the last time Vogt’s name comes up this offseason.
NEXT: 2 Trades The Guardians Should Consider This Offseason
