Former Chicago Cubs manager David Ross is open to returning as a big-league manager.
“I’ll answer the phone,” Ross said on ESPN when asked if he would be interested in the New York Mets job, per Jon Heyman.
The Mets and Phillies will certainly be doing managerial searches, even if Andy Green and Don Mattingly seem like the best options. Green does not want to remain a manager, and Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies may already have their sights set on Cora. However, there will be managers who get fired, creating more opportunities for Ross.
Ross started managing the Cubs in 2020. He spent two seasons with the team at the end of his career, and hit a home run in Game 7 of the Cubs' 2016 World Series victory, making himself a Cubs icon forever. As a manager, he had a 262-284 record with the Cubs.
The Cubs fired him to hire Craig Counsell, who is regarded as one of the best managers in the game. While Ross was slightly underwhelming as a manager, he could be seen as a strong candidate in this year's hiring cycle. Ross has not managed since he was let go from the Cubs, but he seems ready to return to the dugout.
The only question is this: do teams consider him a real candidate? Cora may be at the top of every team's list this offseason, but his relationship with Dombrowski makes Philadelphia the favorite. The Boston Red Sox, who fired Cora, would be foolish to replace Chad Tracy, the interim manager. If they do, for some reason, move on from Tracy, another team will hire him in a heartbeat.
The Mets would make sense as a landing spot for Ross, but so would the Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks or Houston Astros if any of their managers get fired.