Rick Renteria named new Chicago Cubs manager

Rick Renteria, who served the last two seasons as the San Diego Padres’ bench coach, has been named as the Chicago Cubs new manager.

According to the Cubs, Renteria agreed to a three-year contract with club options for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Renteria, 51, will be introduced to the media Thursday via teleconference as he is still recovering from hip surgery and unable to travel.

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Renteria fits several qualification Cubs team President of Baseball Operations, Theo Epstein looked for after firing Dale Sveum from the manager post on Sept. 30.

Reternia spent the last six seasons as a coach with the Padres at the Major League level and served eight seasons as a manager in the Miami Marlins’ (1998-2001) and Padres’ (2004-07) Minor League system.

Renteria is bilingual, which will help in communicating on a more personal level with several Cubs players and prospects. This should prove to be specifically helpful with the development of Starlin Castro, Junior Lake, Javier Baez and Albert Almora.

While Renteria does not have major league managing experience he did manage Team Mexico in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. He is the first Hispanic to manage the Cubs since Preston Gomez in 1980.

The five and half week long managerial search started with the Cubs pursuit of Joe Girardi. The former Cub and current Yankees manager, never spoke with the Cubs but entertained the idea of coming home to Wrigley Field before re-signed with the Yankees for four years.

The Cubs interviewed five other candidates, including former major league managers A.J. Hinch, Eric Wedge and Manny Acta along with Dave Martinez and Brad Ausmus. Ausmus was hired by the Detroit Tigers.

Following the World Series, the Cubs interest in Boston Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo was made public. The Cubs did not receive permission to talk to Lovullo due to an agreement after the 2011 season the two teams made that stated Epstein could not hire Red Sox employees for a three-year window after Epstein joined the Cubs.

Renteria also interview with the Tigers and Seattle Mariners before Ausmus was hired by the Tigers and Lloyd McCledon hired by the Mariners.

Renteria, a former infielder who was Pittsburgh Pirates’ first-round draft pick in 1980, played five seasons with the Pirates (1986), Mariners (1987-88), and Marlins (1993-94).