With the decision to hire Craig Counsell as the team's next manager, the Chicago Cubs had other coaching vacancies that they needed to fill. Of those was the bench coach, previously served by Andy Green, who decided to take a role in the New York Mets' front office.
To replace Green, the Cubs are hiring Ryan Flaherty to be the next bench coach in 2024. Flaherty was a finalist for the San Diego Padres head coaching job before the Padres hired Mike Shildt. This will be the same position that he held with San Diego, as he served as the team's bench coach in 2023.
Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic broke the news:
"Ryan Flaherty is expected to be named Cubs bench coach, sources tell The Athletic. Flaherty was a finalist for the Padres managerial job that went to Mike Shildt. Had previously served as Padres bench coach. Now will hold the same role in Chicago under Craig Counsell."
This is a return to Chicago for Flaherty as he was drafted by the Cubs with pick 41 of the 2008 MLB Draft. He played well in the minors for the organization but was left unprotected after the 2011 season. The Baltimore Orioles selected him in the Rule 5 Draft.
The rest was history as he made the Orioles' Opening Day Roster and played with the club from 2012-2017.
The 37-year-old from Portland, Maine, wasn't much more than a backup infielder. However, he's made a name for himself in the coaching ranks and will continue to do so with this stop as the bench coach for one of the best managers in baseball.
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