San Francisco Giants' Alyssa Nakken becomes first woman to interview for MLB manager job
After four years of Gabe Kapler, the San Francisco Giants are looking for a new skipper, and they may not have to look very far. According to reports, assistant coach Alyssa Nakken has emerged as an interview candidate. She is believed to be the first woman in MLB history to interview for a team's managerial position.
Who is Alyssa Nakken?
This isn't Nakken's first time making history. In 2020, she became the first woman ever to be appointed to an MLB coaching staff full-time. Nakken has served as an assistant coach on the team ever since, with an emphasis on baserunning, outfield instruction, and in-game preparation.
During the 2021 campaign, the Giants won a franchise record 107 games during the regular season. Nakken's contributions to the dugout were a big part of that success. In addition to her roles stated above, Nakken also served as a dugout liaison for pinch hitters. The Giants used more pinch hitters in 2021 than any team in MLB history. They also hit a record-setting 18 pinch hit home runs that year.
Nakken has also coached on the field during a game with the Giants. On April 12, 2022, she filled in for first base coach Antoan Richardson after he was ejected during the third inning of a game against the San Diego Padres, becoming the first female to coach on the field during an MLB game.
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Women in baseball
Women in high-end positions within MLB is still a rare sight, but is thankfully becoming much more common. Miami Marlins' GM Kim Ng was a massive reason the team reached the playoffs this season -- their first playoff appearance in a full season since the team won the World Series in 2003.
Earlier this year, Ronnie Gajownik became the first woman to manage a High-A team when she was named the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks' High-A affiliate, Hillsboro. She'd previously served as the first base coach for Double-A Amarillo.
The first woman to ever manage a minor league team though is Rachel Balkovec. She'd previously served as the Yankees' Florida Complex League hitting coach, earning the distinction of the first full-time female hitting coach within an MLB organization. A year later, she was interviewed for Nakken's job with the Giants. She was ultimately passed up, but luckily was chosen as the manager for the organization's Low-A affiliate, the Tampa Tarpoons, in 2021.
The first ever owner of an MLB franchise happened way back in 1911, when then-owner Stanley Robison passed away and left the entirety of ownership of the St. Louis Cardinals to his niece Helene Britton. She maintained ownership of the club for seven years, before selling the team to Sam Breadon.
Will Nakken get the job?
We don't know. We are already aware of multiple other interviewees for the position within the Giants' organization including bench coach Kai Correa and third base coach Mike Hallberg. Nakken has always stressed that she aspires to stay "in uniform" throughout her career and a managerial position would certainly fit the bill. “Manager and/or bench coach positions are two that my interests gravitate towards at this point in time,” Nakken told The Athletic after completing her first season in 2020.
Nakken has earned consistent praise from Giants' players and the coaches around her. She has undoubtedly left a remarkable impact on the team's locker room through her four seasons there. We will continue to update this story as more information comes forward.
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