Phillies: Tigers take manager candidate off the market

One of the more senior candidates for the Phillies manager job is off the market

After firing Brad Ausmus, the Detroit Tigers have become the first team to reportedly hire a new manager.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports Detroit will hire former longtime Minnesota Twins manager and Diamondbacks bench coach Ron Gardenhire to be their next manager.

Gardenhire spent 13 seasons in Minnesota before being fired following the 2014 season. Despite winning over 1,000 games in Minnesota Gardenhire’s managerial record is a hair over the Mendoza line.

While the 59-year-old manager wasn’t openly considered to be a candidate for the Phillies vacant job he was mentioned several times among our staff if Philadelphia wanted to hire a veteran manager.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – JUNE 3: Former Philadelphia Phillies manger Charlie Manuel (L) talks to current Philadelphia Phillies manager Pete Mackanin /

It appears general manager Matt Klentak is leaning towards a younger voice after years of Charlie Manuel, Ryne Sandberg, and Pete Mackanin, all of whom were either in their mid-50’s to 60’s. The organization hasn’t hired a manager younger than 50 since Terry Francona in 1997 at the ripe age of 38.

Klentak wants someone who shares a commitment towards the use of analytics and advancing the team past the stone age.