Cubs to Interview Managerial Candidate Joe Espada for a Second Time
Theo Epstein and the front office were so impressed with Astros bench coach Joe Espada that they scheduled a second interview days before the World Series.
Joe Espada is on his way to Chicago for a second managerial interview with the Cubs, per a source. Cubs were clearly impressed with what they heard last week from the Astros bench coach.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) October 20, 2019
Perhaps Espada is the only Cubs managerial candidate to receive a second interview. We don’t know if Mark Loretta, David Ross, Will Venable, Joe Girardi, or Gabe Kapler talked with the Cubs more than once. But we also don’t know if Espada’s first interview was shorter than other managerial interviews due to the bench coach’s role in a pennant chase.
It’s possible that the Cubs announce their manager on Monday, the last day before MLB allows non-World Series news to drop until the offseason. If so, that would likely mean David Ross would be introduced as the Cubs next manager tomorrow.
But if the Cubs don’t announce their manager on Monday, it’s fair to speculate that Joe Espada is the Cubs preferred candidate, especially because he’s interviewing for a second time just two days before the World Series.