Ben Cherington is the Pirates' preferred choice to be their next general manager, two sources have told DKPittsburghSports.com, though the process isn't complete at either end, contrary to multiple reports circulating.
Another name has entered the equation, as well, per one of those sources.
Eddie Romero, most recently the interim GM of the Red Sox before the hiring of Chain Bloom late last month, has emerged as a candidate to join Cherington in Pittsburgh, should Cherington get the job. Romero, 40, has served as Boston's assistant GM and a vice president the past four years, assisting in all baseball operations and overseeing international signing/development.
Also learned from one source: Contrary to at least one report circulating, the Pirates have no plan to divide their upper baseball hierarchy into two tiers, as some Major League Baseball teams have begun doing. Which means that the next GM will, in fact, hold the title of GM rather than there being a president of baseball operations, then a GM beneath that.
Also: If the GM process is completed this weekend, an announcement and introductory press conference would happen at PNC Park on Monday.
Now missing from the equation is Matt Arnold, the Brewers' assistant GM who'd been the other finalist for the position along with Cherington. There's no immediate word on what happened with Arnold, who'd been the preference of nearly everyone with whom I'd communicated the past week. He and Cherington both flew to Pittsburgh this week for follow-up interviews with Bob Nutting and Travis Williams.
Here's the column I wrote Wednesday endorsing Arnold for GM.
Cherington, 45, was the Red Sox’s GM from 2011-15, including a World Series championship in 2013 with baseball’s fourth-highest payroll that year at $153 million. He was forced out in mid-season of 2015, took more than a year away from the game, then joined the Blue Jays the following fall as VP of baseball operations, the position he's held since.
