The Cleveland Guardians are off to a solid start in 2025 at 23-17, which is good enough for second place in the challenging AL Central, where four of the five teams in the division are currently over .500.
Only one other division in MLB can make the claim of having four teams over .500, and that is the brutal NL West, led by the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
The downside of having four teams above .500 in one division is that likely means there is a team in a distant last place, which is exactly the case in the NL West as the Colorado Rockies decided to fire former Guardians pitcher Bud Black following a dismal 6-33 start, which reached a potential rock bottom during Saturday’s 21-0 loss to the San Diego Padres.
The Rockies announce they have relieved Bud Black of duties as manager. Third base coach Warren Schaeffer has been named interim manager, hitting coach Clint Hurdle has been named bench coach. pic.twitter.com/Yb8XVpcW1A
— MLB (@MLB) May 11, 2025
Black has been replaced by third base coach Warren Schaeffer, who will serve as interim manager, while former Rockies manager Clint Hurdle has moved from hitting coach to bench coach.
It is hard to believe, but Black has been the Rockies’ manager since 2017 following his nine-year run as the manager for the San Diego Padres.
Something had to give following this egregious start, and it’s an unceremonious end for the man who pitched for the Guardians in 1995, which was the final year of his playing career.
Colorado made the postseason in Black’s first two years as manager in 2017 and 2018, but hasn’t finished with a winning record since and has now set itself up for a third consecutive 100-loss season.
It’s never fun to see someone lose their job, especially someone from the Guardians family.
NEXT: Will Brennan Returns To The Bigs As Starting Infielder Is Sent Down
