Though the team has yet to officially confirm it, MLB.com‘s Todd Zolecki is among those to report that Joe Girardi will become the 55th manager in Philadelphia Phillies history.
Girardi, who has previously managed the Miami Marlins and New York Yankees, will replace Gabe Kapler, who the Phillies fired after he led the team to a 161-163 record in two seasons. Kapler, who is a candidate for the San Francisco Giants managerial vacancy, was complimentary Thursday when reached about the news of his successor.
“I think Joe is a great choice,” Kapler said to Alex Carr of The Good Phight. “He’s smart, adaptable and his record obviously speaks for itself. I know that [general manager] Matt [Klentak] and others worked an incredibly thorough process, and as a Phillies fan, I would put a lot of trust in them. I believe Joe will guide this team to a lot of success and wish him and the Phillies the best.”
A bulk of Girardi’s track record came in his 10-year stint as the Yankees manager. Between 2008 and 2017, Girardi led the Yankees to a 910-710 regular season record. In 2009, the Yankees, under Girardi, defeated the Phillies in the six games to win the World Series.
Brian Cashman, who has been the Yankees general manager since 1998, spoke glowingly about the Phillies hire of Girardi Thursday morning.
“[He’s] a great one,” Cashman told the collective media, including Bruce Beck of NBC 4. “You can find no better candidate. He’s been a winner his whole career. I am glad he’s not going to be managing in the American League East!”
Cashman and the Yankees fired Girardi after the conclusion of the 2017 season, despite making it to Game 7 of the ALCS against the eventual World Series Champion Houston Astros. Cashman cited a belief that the team needed a manager that better connected with younger players as a reason for making the change.
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