Athletics hire franchise great Stewart for player development role originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Athletics are bringing a franchise icon onboard for the team’s first year in West Sacramento.
Legendary right-handed pitcher Dave Stewart was hired for a player development role, the Athletics announced Wednesday.
“The Athletics have hired former World Series MVP and Athletics Hall of Famer Dave Stewart as a Special Assistant to Player Development for the 2025 season,” the club said. “In this role, Stewart will assist Director of Player Development Ed Sprague in addition to other members of the baseball operations department.”
Stewart brings heavy experience, specifically with the Athletics, to one of baseball’s younger teams. He spent eight of his 16 career big-league seasons in his hometown of Oakland, where in 1989 alone, he made an All-Star Game and was World Series MVP in the Athletics’ famous sweep of the San Francisco Giants in an iconic Battle of the Bay.
Stewart went 119-78 over 257 appearances with the Athletics and boasted a 3.73 ERA with 1,152 strikeouts. He finished in the top four of AL Cy Young voting after four consecutive 20-win seasons (1987-90) and took home the Roberto Clemente Award in 1990 for being a profound humanitarian.
Repping the Green and Gold felt right for Stewart, as he told the San Francisco Chronicle’s John Shea after news of the franchise Hall of Famer’s new role broke.
“This all kind of works out perfectly,” Stewart told Shea in a phone interview. “I’ve got nothing but time. Regardless of all the craziness that’s happened and the team leaving Oakland, I would not be telling the truth if I said I do not love the A’s. I love the A’s. I love baseball. It just seems like a good match at a good time.”
“I want to be able to influence players that are developing and learning to play the game and eventually become big-leaguers. That’s what makes your organization a great organization, influencing players coming in and teaching them to play the game right. I think that’s where my value is.”
Stewart should be a major help to the Athletics with an official role. Outside of his pitching experience, Stewart has been around baseball as a scout, director of player personnel, assistant general manager, general manager and most recently, an Athletics analyst at NBC Sports California.
Stewart, who has his legendary No. 34 jersey retired by the Athletics, is happy to be back with the club.
“Whatever else they need me for,” Stewart told Shea. “My intent is hopefully having them use me and allow me to be helpful.”
Read the full article here