Rays Hire Rodney Linares as Third Base Coach
It had been rumored for several weeks and on Wednesday the Rays made it official. Tampa Bay hired Rodney Linares as third base coach for 2019. Linares replaces Matt Quatraro, who was elevated to bench coach when Charlie Montoyo and Rocco Baldelli became managers for Toronto and Minnesota respectively.
The 41-year-old spent 21 seasons coaching and managing in the Astros organization, and this is his first MLB opportunity. Linares says he was speechless and cried upon learning the news:
In 2018 Linares managed the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies to an 82–57 (.590) record, winning the Pacific Coast League North Division title, and was named the PCL’s Best Manager Prospect by Baseball America. He is currently managing Águilas de Cibaeñas in the Dominican Winter League.
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“Rodney has impacted so many players during his time with the Astros, including José Altuve, Carlos Correa, Alex Bregman and J.D. Martínez,” said Rays Manager Kevin Cash. “The amount of positive feedback we received throughout this process made it clear that he is a very high quality individual. In addition to his third base coaching duties, he will work with our infielders and bring many years of managing experience to our staff.”
Linares is the seventh third base coach in franchise history, following Greg Riddoch (1998–99), Billy Hatcher (2000–01), Terry Collins (2001), Tom Foley (2002–14), Montoyo (2015–17) and Quatraro (2018).
Prior to Fresno, Linares also managed Double-A Corpus Christi (2015–17), Class-A Lancaster (2012–14), Class-A Lexington (2010–11) and Rookie-level Greeneville (2007–09), compiling a record of 761–694 (.523) record over 12 seasons. In six of the past seven seasons his teams went to the postseason.
Linares led Corpus Christi to the two winningest seasons in franchise history (2015–16), won a pair of California League championships (2012, 2014) and earned each league’s Manager of the Year honors (2012, 2015). The former infielder played parts of two seasons in the minors in the Detroit Tigers (1997) and Astros (1998) systems before beginning his coaching career in 1999 at the Astros Dominican academy. In 2005, he was appointed hitting coach at Lexington.
Linares’ father Julio is the Astros senior advisor for Latin American development and has been part of the organization since 1973. Rodney Linares and his wife, Rosanna, have two children, Steven and Ryan, and reside in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic.
Tampa Bay has one remaining coaching vacancy, one that should be filled before the Winter Meetings. That role will not be filled with Jared Sandberg. Sanberg, who managed for Triple-A Durham, elected to join the Seattle Mariners MLB staff. Seattle is Sandberg’s hometown area, and where he lives in the off-season.
