Click's career in baseball began in 2006 when he joined the Tampa Bay Rays as a coordinator of baseball operations. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the team's director of baseball research and development in 2011. In this role, Click was responsible for providing the team with statistical analysis for player acquisition, contract negotiations, and game strategy. His work was instrumental in the Rays' innovative approach to the game, which included the use of "openers" instead of traditional starting pitchers and a heavy reliance on analytics.
In 2015, Click was promoted to vice president of baseball operations, a role in which he continued to use data-driven strategies to guide the team's decision-making process. During his tenure with the Rays, the team consistently outperformed expectations despite having one of the lowest payrolls in the MLB.
In February 2020, Click was appointed as the GM of the Houston Astros, succeeding Jeff Luhnow. His appointment came at a challenging time for the Astros, who were dealing with the fallout from a sign-stealing scandal that had resulted in the suspension and subsequent firing of Luhnow. Despite these challenges, Click has managed to steer the Astros towards success.
In his first season as GM, the Astros reached the American League Championship Series (ALCS), despite having a losing record in the regular season. The following year, in 2021, the Astros won the American League West division and advanced to the World Series, where they were defeated by the Atlanta Braves.
Throughout his career, Click has been praised for his analytical approach to the game and his ability to build successful teams despite financial constraints. His work with the Rays and Astros has demonstrated the value of data-driven decision making in baseball, and he is widely regarded as one of the leading figures in the sport's analytics revolution.
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