Rays' Matt Quatraro Hired as Royals Manager to Replace Mike Matheny

The Kansas City Royals hired Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro as their next manager, the team announced Sunday.

ESPN's Jeff Passan first reported the news.

Quatraro will take over for Mike Matheny, who was fired after the Royals finished 65-97 in 2022. Kansas City also extended its postseason drought to seven seasons.

"We are extremely excited to have Matt leading our club and core of talent," general manager J.J. Picollo said. "Matt has great experiences throughout his career that have prepared him for this. He thoroughly impressed us all during our interview process and is clearly respected across the industry."

The organization has already undergone some major changes to atone for its recent futility. In addition to moving on from Matheny, the Royals fired pitching coach Cal Eldred. Dayton Moore was ousted as president of baseball operations before the regular season ended.

It wasn't just that Kansas City's fortunes took a sharp downturn after it made back-to-back World Series appearances in 2014 and 2015. Moore's plan to rebuild around young pitching hasn't worked out, and there aren't a bevy of top prospects to generate optimism for the future.

Bobby Witt Jr. and MJ Melendez both made their MLB debuts in 2022, and neither is older than 23. Kansas City's pitching staff was also tied for the second-youngest (27.3) in the league, per Baseball Reference.

Although the cupboard isn't totally bare, this isn't like in the early 2010s, when Kansas City had a farm system brimming with potential.

Quatraro's top priority will be helping to see Picollo's long-term vision through.

Given his experience in Tampa and before that with the Cleveland Guardians, the 48-year-old is a natural fit. He knows what it's like to work within a small-market team that needs a steady flow of homegrown talent to thrive.

Selecting Quatraro also sends a message that ownership isn't expecting an immediate turnaround. The Royals are likely years away from contention, so the new manager should get plenty of time in the dugout to establish a new culture.