SAN FRANCISCO -- It's rare for a player to come to a new team, serve as a backup and leave at the end of September with such a high approval rating that team employees and fans openly joke about him becoming their next manager. That's the kind of impact Stephen Vogt had in 2019.
Vogt played 99 games for the Giants but agreed to a one-year deal with the rival Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday with a vesting option for a second year. Vogt was interested in returning and the Giants liked his presence alongside Buster Posey, but he told the San Francisco Chronicle that he chose the Diamondbacks over the Giants and one other suitor.
Vogt will be missed by the fan base but also in the clubhouse, where he had a locker alongside Brandon Crawford and a few feet from Posey and Madison Bumgarner. Vogt thanked his teammates in a message posted to Twitter on Tuesday night, along with many others:
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This is the second consecutive offseason that the Giants are losing a popular backup catcher. Nick Hundley was a similar player before leaving last offseason. Giants fans won't have to wait long to get a chance to show appreciation for Vogt. The Diamondbacks visit on the season's first homestand.