The Phillies hired Gabe Kapler to be their manager on Halloween two years ago. Both seasons the Phillies started out strong but faded down the stretch, and the Phillies decided to replace Kapler at the helm on October 10. One month and two days later, Kapler has a new job.
Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that Kapler will be manager of the San Francisco Giants. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported around 10:00 p.m. Eastern time that an announcement was imminent. The word broke within a half-hour of the announcement.
Kapler was reportedly a finalist for the position alongside Joe Espada, bench coach for the Houston Astros, and Matt Quatraro, bench coach of the Tampa Bay Rays. Shortly after Slusser's report that an announcement was imminent, word came that Espada did not get the job from Jon Heyman of MLB Network.
Kapler has a strong relationship with Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, dating back to the time both spent in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. The move comes after new general manager Scott Harris was named. Harris came from the Chicago Cubs organization that had just interviewed both Kapler and Espada for the managerial vacancy there.
Kapler managed the Phillies to an 80-82 record in 2018 and an 81-81 record in 2019.
In San Francisco, Kapler replaces Bruce Bochy. Bochy won three World Series titles with the Giants: 2010, 2012, and 2014. Bochy is likely headed for the Hall of Fame.
