"He's definitely someone who would transition well into that role" - Corbin Carroll is a firm believer of Evan Longoria's managerial skills
Corbin Carroll spoke highly of his former Diamondbacks teammate Evan Longoria. He feels that the free agent has an exceptional skill set to take up a managerial role in the MLB.
Longoria and Carroll were part of the roster that, against all odds, swept the Dodgers in the NLDS, and defeated the Phillies in the NLCS to make their way to the 2023 Fall Classic. This was only the second time that the D-Backs had made it to the World Series since 2001.
When a Reddit user asked Carroll about who he thinks the current players in the MLB should flourish in a managerial role in the future, he was all praise for Longoria, saying:
"I'm going Evan Longoria. He was an incredible addition to our team last year, something that we needed in that clubhouse, he's definitely someone who would transition well into a managerial role."
According to what the former D-Backs third baseman said to MLB Network last week, he'd want to continue playing when the perfect circumstances arise. With 16 MLB seasons under his belt, Longoria, 38, has played for the Tampa Bay Rays for 10 seasons, the San Francisco Giants for five, and Arizona, where he and his family currently reside.
Longoria stated that while he has listened to offers and has kept an open mind this offseason, only a "few places" make sense:
"Clearly I enjoyed playing here in Arizona. I kind of got spoiled being able to drive 25 minutes down the road and call that home base" - Evan Longoria
During the Diamondbacks' World Series journey, the player started 16 of 17 postseason games for the team, making his second Fall Classic participation in his career. The other occurred in his Rays rookie season.
However, he didn't say whether or not he would suit up again following the postseason run. After appreciating the postseason run, he said he could leave with pride, describing it as a reminder of the reason he continued to play.
In 74 games throughout the regular season, Longoria made significant contributions with 11 home runs in 237 plate appearances for a slash of 223/.295/.422. Although, after he was sidelined for over three weeks due to a lower back strain, his output declined.
The Diamondbacks have already moved past Evan Longoria
Eugenio Suarez was acquired by the Arizona Diamondbacks from the Seattle Mariners early in the offseason, giving them an everyday third baseman and a replacement for free agent Evan Longoria.
Arizona has been vocal about needing another bat, and doesn't appear to have a designated hitter.
There are still unsigned free agents accessible, such as Tommy Pham, Arizona's postseason DH. Other choices for designated hitters on the market are Justin Turner, J.D. Martinez, and Jorge Soler.