Alyssa Nakken interviews to be Giants manager

October 15th, 2023

The Giants have formally interviewed assistant coach Alyssa Nakken for their managerial opening, the club confirmed on Sunday. The news was first reported by Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic.

Nakken, 33, is believed to be the first woman to interview for a managerial position in the Majors, adding to her trailblazing legacy with the Giants. A former standout softball player at Sacramento State, Nakken became the first full-time woman coach in the Majors when she was added to Gabe Kapler’s staff in January 2020. She made even more history with her on-field coaching debut in April of '22, when she filled in for first-base coach Antoan Richardson during a game against the Padres.

Nakken is among several internal candidates who are now in the mix to replace Kapler, who was dismissed with one year left on his contract after the Giants missed the postseason for the second consecutive season. Third-base coach Mark Hallberg and bench coach Kai Correa have also reportedly been interviewed, with longtime coach and current special assistant to baseball operations Ron Wotus also expected to be in the running for the job.

Rangers associate manager Will Venable previously interviewed with the Giants during their last managerial search in 2019, but he is expected to remain in Texas and continue to work under Bruce Bochy, according to MLB Network insider Jon Morosi. The Giants could still consider another Rangers coach in Donnie Ecker, who served as San Francisco’s hitting instructor from 2020-21 before being hired to serve as the Rangers' offensive coordinator and bench coach.

Nakken and her husband Robert are currently expecting their first child, a daughter who is due in early February.