When Bob Melvin departed for the San Diego Padres, the Oakland A’s suddenly found themselves in need of a new manager. It was expected that bench coach Ryan Christenson would be one of the favorites for the role; after all, he had been a part of the organization for 16 years and learned from Melvin. It would have been a seamless transition.
Those plans may be over. According to reports, Christenson is set to join Melvin in San Diego as his bench coach once again.
The Padres plan to name Ryan Christenson their new bench coach, sources tell @TheAthletic. Christenson spent 16 seasons in the A's organization, including the past four as Bob Melvin's bench coach in Oakland. San Diego is expected to announce its full coaching staff next week.
— Dennis Lin (@dennistlin) December 3, 2021
Ryan Christenson to leave Oakland A’s behind
Christenson had been a long time member of the A’s organization. He was initially drafted by Oakland in the 10th round of the 1995 MLB Draft, quickly ascending through the system. Christenson made his debut as a player with the A’s in 1998 and spent the next three and a half years with the team.
He eventually returned to the A’s following his playing days. He became a minor league manager in 2013, again quickly working his way up the ladder before joining Melvin’s coaching staff as his bench coach. The expectation was that Christenson, a rising star in the coaching ranks, would be groomed by Melvin as his replacement.
That may still be the case, albeit in a different city. Melvin is still going to have his trusted advisor as he adjusts to a new city and a new roster. There will be some degree of familiarity, at least in terms of the coaching staff. However, this is a major loss for the A’s as it removes one of their internal options to take over the managerial role.
Not only do the Oakland A’s need to find a manager, but they also need a bench coach. Ryan Christenson is set to follow Bob Melvin to San Diego.