Two Managerial Fits for Cardinals Bench Coach Daniel Descalso

This is a name to watch after several managers were fired.

Jul 23, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals bench coach Daniel Descalso (34) looks on during batting practice before a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are playing better than expected this year. They already gave Oli Marmol a two-year contract extension through the 2028 season, so they won't be taking part in the carousel of managers being fired and replaced this year.

However, that doesn't mean they won't have some role in it. In fact, both the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies have canned their managers. Alex Cora was fired over the weekend, and Rob Thomson was fired on Tuesday.

Tyler Kepner of The Athletic made a list of potential managerial candidates in the wake of managers being fired. The Cardinals had two names on the list, and one of them was bench coach Daniel Descalso.

"A valuable role player for a decade in the majors, Descalso is just 39 years old — a plus — and has coached for the Cardinals the last three seasons after working as a front office assistant for the Diamondbacks in 2023," Kepner wrote.

Two managerial fits for Daniel Descalso

Apr 5, 2018; St. Louis, MO, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Daniel Descalso (3) hits a triple off of St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Matt Bowman (not pictured) during the fifth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Descalso could be a good fit for any team looking for a new manager soon. Here are two that make sense.

Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox recently gave Chad Tracy the interim tag after firing Cora, and while the demands of managing in a market like Boston are high, there actually is a logical fit for Descalso there.

This past offseason, the Cardinals traded both Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras to Boston. Should the Red Sox look into Descalso, they would actually be a pretty good fit, as he could reunite with both Gray and Contreras, who were with the Cardinals when he became the bench coach in 2024.

Descalso won a World Series title in St. Louis as a player, so he at least brings some of that experience to what appears to be a very young Boston ballclub should they consider him.

Houston Astros

The Astros are another team that is off to a slow start. In fact, they have the worst record in the American League. Should that continue, it would be hard to imagine Houston sticking with current manager Joe Espada.

The Astros are more of a veteran team, but a younger manager could benefit them and give them some youthful energy in addition to just being a nice change of pace. Houston very clearly needs to make a change, and Descalso is somebody that could benefit from this type of environment.