Phillies: 2nd National League Team to Interview Gabe Kapler
By Matt Rappa
Former Phillies manager Gabe Kapler is already drawing interest from at least two of the seven other teams needing a new manager for 2020.
As the Phillies kick off their managerial interviewing process this week, their former manager, Gabe Kapler, is likewise wasting no time to meet with teams following his dismissal last Thursday.
According to 670 The Score, Kapler — along with Astros bench coach Joe Espada — will meet with the Chicago Cubs this week for their managerial opening.
The former Phillies skipper now has at least two managerial interviews lined up, with the first being with the San Francisco Giants, as first reported by MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.
Kapler now joins among the handful of early candidates for the Cubs’ managerial position, left vacant following the mutually agreed departure of World Series-winning manager Joe Maddon. The Cubs have already met with three internal candidates — front office special assistant David Ross, first-base coach Will Venable, and bench coach Mark Loretta — as well as former New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi. The Phillies plan to interview Girardi as well, reportedly as soon as early this week.
In two seasons as Phillies manager, Kapler, 44, went 161-163. In September alone, however, the club went just 20-36 under his leadership, a contributing factor in Phillies Managing Partner John Middleton‘s decision to move in a new direction for 2020.
As part of his final statement with the Phillies, Kapler said:
"“The passion and devotion of the Phillies fan base both inspired and humbled me daily. It was an honor to grow, develop and learn with this team. I’m looking forward to what the future brings, and I know I’m a better leader and person for having had this opportunity.”"
As it turns out, the next chapter of Kapler’s managerial career might come sooner than what we, and maybe even he himself, had expected.