SF Giants interview coach Alyssa Nakken for vacant manager job

Nakken was the first woman to be a full-time MLB coach, and now is the first known female managerial interviewee

After meeting with the team last week, pioneering San Francisco Giants coach Alyssa Nakken became the first woman in MLB history to interview for a managerial position.

Nakken, 33, joins bench coach Kai Correa and third base coach Mark Hallberg as the third member of the Giants’ current coaching staff to meet with the team to discuss replacing Gabe Kapler, who was fired on the final weekend of a second straight non-playoff season.

The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly was the first to report that the Giants had interviewed Nakken, and a team spokesperson later confirmed the interview to this news organization.

Meanwhile, according to The Chronicle, popular former A’s and Giants catcher Stephen Vogt is in line to be interviewed by San Francisco. There are expected to be many other outside candidates to replace Kapler, who was fired after four seasons and with one year left on his contract.

Nakken, who just completed her fourth season as a Giants coach, made MLB history in 2020 when she joined Kapler’s big league staff, becoming the league’s first female coach.

Rachel Balkovec became the first female manager of a major league-affiliated team three years ago when she took over as manager of the New York Yankees’ Low-A affiliate in Tampa.

Nakken, a former Sacramento State softball standout who was a three-time all-conference selection, has been with the Giants since 2014. She began her career with the Giants as a baseball operations intern.

Whatever happens in the interview process, this will be a memorable offseason for Nakken, who is expecting her first child on Feb. 9.

The Giants’ president of baseball operations, Farhan Zaidi, has stated that he hopes to hire a new manager by the first week of November. The Giants are looking for a new voice to lead a team that finished fourth in the National League West with a 79-83 record.