MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred today said the league continues to struggle with issues of diversity and inclusion in midseason executive appointments, despite marked progress in several other areas of baseball hiring. Manfred, speaking today at the annual Sports Diversity & Inclusion Symposium hosted by MLB this year at Citi Field, outlined the league's extensive efforts for greater inclusion, such as its Play Ball, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities and Urban Youth Academies, and the recent retention of leadership search firm Korn Ferry to provide support services to candidates seeking baseball operations job. But several clubs, including the Brewers, Marlins and Red Sox, this season made senior-level changes without strictly adhering to the Selig Rule aimed at promoting minority participation in interview processes.
"In-season, things are really a challenge, and we're thinking hard about that," Manfred said. "One of the things we've done to address the in-season issue is that somebody is going to hire an interim manager already on their staff, is there a commitment to a full process and search after the season? But in-season is a real challenge, particularly with field managers. Somebody has to run the team and we play every day. But we're thinking hard about those issues."
