Former major leaguer Gabe Kapler has been hired as the 54th manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, Vice President & General Manager Matt Klentak announced today.
Kapler, 42, has spent the last three years working for the Los Angeles Dodgers as the club’s director of player development, overseeing their entire minor league system. The Dodgers’ minor league teams went a combined 1,299-1,128 during his tenure with eight first-place finishes. Their .535 winning percentage over that span was fourth-best among all 30 major league clubs and second-best among all National League teams, trailing only the Phillies (.548).
The Phillies began a search for a new manager in late September, when they announced that Pete Mackanin would assume a new role in the front office after the conclusion of the season. Mackanin had led the Phils to a 174-238 record since taking over for Ryne Sandberg midway through the 2015 season.
Kapler, hit .268 in 12 major league seasons as an outfielder with Boston, theTexas Rangers and four other clubs. He is known to have a strong background in analytics, an area the Phillies said they planned to stress in their search.
“I’m equal parts honored, humbled and excited by the opportunity with the Phillies, an elite franchise in a city rich in history, tradition, sports excellence and with amazingly passionate fans,” Kapler said in a statement. “I believe there is no better place to build a winning environment, and I take that task very seriously.”
"Gabe has a track record of leadership, winning, progressive thinking and working with young players, and we fully believe that he is the right person to guide this organization into the future," GM Matt Klentak said in a statement.
Kapler will be introduced at a news conference after the World Series ends.
