The Los Angeles Dodgers hired Rocco Baldelli as a special assistant over the offseason after he was canned by the Minnesota Twins.
He managed them for more than 1,000 games, going 527-505 overall spanning from 2019 to 2025. Baldelli won the manager of the year award back in 2019 for his work with the Twins.
The Dodgers front office has a clear connection to Baldelli, who was hired as a minor league instructor with the Tampa Bay Rays while Los Angeles’ president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, was in charge.
Baldelli moved to the on-field staff before Friedman eventually departed to join the Dodgers.
Sep 21, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli (5) talks with umpire Vic Carapazza (19) before the game against the Cleveland Guardians at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
Friedman has been known to hire people with whom he had worked with the Rays. Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes was a reliever on the Rays while Friedman was in charge, and Baldelli was on the staff.
Additionally, Chris Archer has been with the Dodgers front office since 2023, having been on Friedman’s Rays teams.
Archer also pitched for the Twins while Baldelli was the Twins’ manager.
With so many ties to the current Dodgers’ decision-makers, Baldelli naturally landed with the team after the Twins decided to go in a different direction.
However, the former skipper was already a candidate for managerial jobs during the 2025 offseason, but he failed to land a gig.
Rocco Baldelli will feature in the MLB manager carousel
He is reportedly a name of interest in the early 2026 cycle, as the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox, two premier franchises, have shaken up their staffs.
The Athletic’s Tyler Kener named Baldelli as a name to watch in the coaching carousel.
“A former Manager of the Year award winner, Baldelli, 44, took the Twins to three postseason berths while interacting smoothly with the front office, the players and the media,” Kepner wrote.
Additionally, Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press reported that Baldelli will get a serious look from the Red Sox, particularly given his connection to Massachusetts.
“Ex-Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, who is from Woonsocket, R.I., and now a special assistant for the Dodgers, will get serious consideration for the Boston Red Sox permanent job, made vacant by last week’s firing of Alex Cora,” Walters said.
As an experienced person in baseball and working alongside Friedman, Baldelli is certainly a contributor to the Dodgers, but if he is given the chance to take a hands-on leadership spot at another franchise, he will likely take it up if offered.
