KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ Ned Yost, the Royals' career leader in managerial victories who guided the franchise to the 2015 World Series championship, will retire after the 2019 season ends Sunday.
The Royals announced Yost's retirement on Monday morning, the day after the team hit the 100-loss mark for the second straight season. He was the first Royals manager to lead the franchise to back-to-back American League pennants and finishes with a 22-9 postseason record. Yost's .710 playoff winning percentage is the best among those who've managed 20 or more postseason games.
Yost, 65, the longest-tenured manager in the American League, surpassed 700 wins as Royals manager in May. Last Monday in Oakland, the northern California native reached 1,200 career managerial wins in his 16 combined seasons leading the Royals and Milwaukee Brewers.
Yost and Royals general manager Dayton Moore are expected to speak with reporters prior to Tuesday's game at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals end the season with a five-game homestand.
"With the development of our young players and our returning veterans, I feel and hope the worst is behind us in this rebuilding phase of our organization," Yost said in a release. "My plan all along was to get us through the rough times then turn it over to a new manager to bring us the rest of the way.
"I've thoroughly enjoyed my time here as your manager and will never forget the good and the hard times we had together as an organization and a fan base. I will never forget the fact that you fans supported us through it all. Kansas City will always have a special place in my heart, and I look forward to rooting the Royals on to their next world championship very soon."
Despite speculation that the Royals will hire former Cardinals manager Mike Matheny, who served as a Royals special adviser for player development this year, to succeed Yost, the Royals are not expected to move quickly to hire a new manager headed into an offseason of transition that includes the pending sale of the franchise by David Glass to John Sherman.
Matheny figures to be a strong candidate, but he should not be viewed as the only in-house option. Bench coach Dale Sveum and catching coach/quality control coach Pedro Grifol also figure to garner consideration as Yost's replacement.
"He's a calming force for us," Royals infielder Whit Merrifield said of Yost earlier this season. "Things haven't gone great, but he's always been positive and kept us working hard and continuing to move forward even though things haven't gone as we would've hoped to this point. He's been great about that, and we're lucky to have him."
News of Yost's retirement spread Monday across the parking lot to Arrowhead Stadium, where Chiefs coach Andy Reid spoke.
"I would like to congratulate Ned Yost on his retirement," Reid said. "I know there are a lot of great hunting and fishing days ahead for him."
Yost became the Royals manager in May 2010, moving from an advisory role within the organization to take over for the fired Trey Hillman after 35 games.
The Royals lost 95 games in 2010 but would improve in each of the next five seasons under Yost: 71-91 in 2011, 72-90 in 2012, 86-76 in 2013, 89-73 in 2014 and 95-67 in 2015, capturing the American League Central Division championship.
The 2013 team was in contention for a playoff spot though the season's final days. In 2014, Yost led the Royals to the playoffs for the first time since the 1985 World Series championship season.
Starting with the thrilling, extra-inning AL Wild Card Game victory at home, the Royals won a MLB record eight consecutive games to start the postseason, clinching the pennant with a four-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals forced a deciding seventh game of the World Series at home but lost to the San Francisco Giants.
After the World Series title over the New York Mets in 2015, Yost went 81-81 and 80-82 the next two seasons before bottoming out at 58-104 last year. The Royals are 57-100 with five games remaining this season. He's 744-836 overall as Royals manager.
Late last month upon news breaking of the team's sale, Yost spoke passionately of his relationship with Glass.
"I just wanted to win for him more than anything because he believed in us, even when nobody else would," Yost said pointing to a photo of Glass. "I've always felt that. So when we won the World Series, the happiest time was when he got to hold that trophy right there."
