The Guardians’ latest coaching hire has everyone doing a double-take — the bench looks strangely familiar.NL

If you’re watching a Guardians game next season and catch yourself doing a double take at the dugout, don’t worry – your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you. That’s not Stephen Vogt standing in two places at once. That’s Tony Arnerich, the Guardians’ new bench coach – and Vogt’s near-identical sideline doppelgänger.

Cleveland officially added Arnerich to the staff to replace Craig Albernaz, who left to take the managerial job with the Orioles. But beyond the uncanny resemblance, this hire is all about trust, chemistry, and in-game decision-making – the kind of stuff that doesn’t always show up in the box score but matters every pitch, every inning.

Arnerich and Vogt already have a strong working relationship, dating back to their time together on the Mariners’ coaching staff in 2023. Back then, Vogt was Seattle’s bullpen coach, while Arnerich handled hitting duties.

When Vogt made the jump to Cleveland to take over as Guardians skipper, Arnerich stayed behind and picked up some of the responsibilities Vogt left behind. Now, he’s joining his old colleague once again – this time as the right-hand man in a new dugout.

The visual symmetry might be a running joke – and Vogt leaned into it with a smile during a Zoom call, quipping, “That was the whole reason we brought him in, was so that we could confuse people.” But behind the humor is a real sense of purpose.

Vogt is a self-described “verbal processor,” someone who talks through strategy and decisions in real time. That means his bench coach needs to be more than just a sounding board – he needs to be a trusted partner who can challenge ideas, confirm instincts, and help steer the ship when the game speeds up.

“Albi was great at that,” Vogt said, referring to Albernaz. “I know Tony’s going to do a great job of that, too. There’s a lot to be thinking about during a game, and it happens fast.”

That kind of dynamic is crucial in today’s game. With so much data, strategy, and nuance packed into every inning, having a bench coach who can keep pace and communicate clearly is a must – and Arnerich checks those boxes.

But the Guardians didn’t stop there. They also brought in Andy McKay to be the team’s new major league fielding coordinator, filling the role left vacant by Kai Correa, who departed to become the Mets’ bench coach. And for Vogt, that hire is just as personal.

McKay is the guy who gave Vogt his first coaching opportunity, hiring him as Seattle’s bullpen coach in 2022. At the time, McKay was working in the Mariners’ front office as an assistant GM, but he’s always had the heart of a coach – and now he’s back in uniform.

“I got to know Andy through the interview process, and he really became a mentor of mine,” Vogt said. “He helped develop me as a coach and think about things through different lenses.”

It’s an unconventional move on paper – pulling someone from the front office and planting them in the dugout – but Vogt sees it differently. “Andy’s a coach.

Andy’s been a coach his whole life. That’s who he is.”

So what does all this mean for the Guardians? It means the 2026 staff is being built on familiarity, trust, and shared philosophy.

Vogt is surrounding himself with people who know how he thinks, challenge him when necessary, and have the experience to help guide a young team through the grind of a long season. There’s a clear vision here – and now, there’s a staff in place that can help bring it to life.

And yes, there might be a few pranks along the way. When you’ve got two guys who look like they were separated at birth standing side-by-side in the dugout, it’s only a matter of time. But make no mistake – the Guardians’ coaching staff is no joke.