Former Giants coach Craig Albernaz joins Vogt’s Guardians staff

Former Giants coach Craig Albernaz joins Vogt’s Guardians staff originally appeared on
NBC Sports Bay Area

The Guardians have announced that Craig Albernaz, the former Giants bullpen coach, will join newly-hired manager Stephen Vogt’s staff in Cleveland.

According to reports, Albernaz was a candidate for Cleveland’s managerial job before joining Vogt’s staff as a Major League Field Coordinator.

Albernaz departs from San Francisco after spending the last four seasons as the Giants’ bullpen coach.

Albernaz led a Giants bullpen that topped MLB with 705.1 relief innings pitched during the 2023 MLB season, along with a 3.92 ERA.

The experienced coach made significant progress with catchers such as Buster Posey, Patrick Bailey, Joey Bart, and Blake Sabol in San Francisco.

In particular, Albernaz leaves behind a strong connection with promising catcher Bailey.

Albernaz collaborated closely with Bailey during the catcher’s rookie season and played a role in his ability to throw out runners, which Bailey did 25 times.

The departure of Albernaz aligns with a series of moves made official by new manager Bob Melvin and the Giants on Friday.

San Francisco hired hitting coach Pat Burrell and third base coach Matt Williams, both fan favorites during their playing days with the Giants. Ryan Christenson, who previously worked on Melvin’s staffs with the Oakland Athletics and San Diego Padres, will be the bench coach.

The changes in San Francisco’s clubhouse signify a new era of Giants’ baseball.

Albernaz joined the Giants as part of former manager Gabe Kapler’s staff before the 2020 season and transitioned from coaching in the bullpen to the dugout during the 2023 season.

While Albernaz’s impact was evident in San Francisco, his departure marks another change in this new era of Giants’ baseball.

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