DETROIT -- Now that the Tigers have talked to their outgoing coaches about the managerial opening, the team is moving ahead with its look at candidates outside the organization. Marlins third-base coach Fredi Gonzalez and White Sox bench coach Joe McEwing will interview for the job this week, according to baseball sources.
Gonzalez will interview with team officials on Thursday, as first reported by The Athletic. The Tigers have not confirmed; general manager Al Avila said Sunday he will not comment on who they interview for the managerial post.
Gonzalez is expected to be a leading candidate for the job that Brad Ausmus held for the past four years. Beyond Gonzalez's previous managerial experience with the Marlins from 2007-2010 and Braves from 2011-16, the 53-year-old has known Avila since their days in player development with the Marlins in the 1990s.
Gonzalez also knows Jose Cabrera, having managed him in 2007 and coached him before that.
Gonzalez is 710-692 in 10 seasons as a Major League manager, including a division title in Atlanta in 2013 and a National League Wild Card berth the year before.
McEwing, best known as a super utility player who played nine seasons in the Majors, just finished his first year as bench coach under Rick Renteria with Chicago after serving the previous five seasons as White Sox third-base coach under then-manager Robin Ventura. McEwing managed three seasons in the White Sox farm system before that, winning Carolina League Manager of the Year honors in 2009 and '10 at Winston-Salem.
McEwing has experience with a rebuilding project in Chicago this past season. He also coached Avila's son, Alex, a catcher for the White Sox in 2016.
Avila interviewed Tigers first-base coach Omar Vizquel and third-base coach Dave Clark this weekend as the team finished up its season in Minnesota. Avila is also expected to interview hitting coach Lloyd McClendon, who interviewed for the Tigers' managerial job four years ago before the team hired Ausmus.
Another candidate who could interview in the coming days is Rays third-base coach Charlie Montoyo, a longtime manager in Tampa Bay's farm system. The Tigers received permission from the Rays to talk with him, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman. Angels bench coach Dino Ebel is also on the Tigers' list of candidates, according to MLB.com's Jon Morosi.
Several other expected candidates, including Rockies bench coach Mike Redmond, D-backs bench coach Ron Gardenhire and Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez, are on hold while their current teams are in the postseason. Some candidates could interview between postseason series, while others prefer to wait until their season is complete.
Avila said Sunday he hopes to have a new manager in place by the end of October.