No one saw Bob Melvin leaving the Oakland A’s to head to San Diego. He seemingly had a job for life – the A’s had picked up his option for 2022 and it seemed as though he would never be fired from the organization. However, Melvin wanted to win and was allowed to depart for the Padres.
He may not be the only member of the coaching staff to leave. The Padres received permission to interview Ryan Christenson to be their new bench coach.
A’s have granted permission for the Padres to interview bench coach Ryan Christenson for the same position in San Diego, sources tell @TheAthletic. Christenson worked under new Padres manager Bob Melvin in Oakland.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 23, 2021
Ryan Christenson could be next to head to San Diego Padres
Once Melvin had left, Christenson appeared to be the logical choice to take over as the next manager. He had learned from Melvin, sitting next to him and picking up the finer points of the game. Moving from Melvin to Christenson may not be a seamless transition, but it would be close.
Christenson had also spent time in the A’s organization as a player. He was a tenth round selection in the 1995 MLB Draft, rapidly moving through the farm system. He made his debut in Oakland in 1998, and spent the first three and a half years of his major league career with the A’s.
There has been some controversy with Christenson as well. During the 2020 season, he appeared to give an offensive gesture as the A’s were celebrating a victory, explaining that he forgot to bend his arm for the elbow taps. While that instance died away, it is something that he is remembered for.
Losing Christenson would be a major loss for the A’s. They are an organization that enjoys continuity in certain areas, such as in the front office or on the bench. The roster may see a great deal of turnover, but the same cannot be said for the coaching staff. Christenson was likely to continue that tradition, but instead, he may be following Melvin out of town.
The Oakland A’s have given the San Diego Padres permission to interview Ryan Christenson to be their bench coach. He may be the next piece to leave.