After weeks of rumor and speculation, the San Francisco Giants finally made it official on Tuesday: former Phillies manager Gabe Kapler has been named the new man at the helm of the NL West franchise.
Kapler, who failed to guide Philadelphia to a playoff appearance in his two years in charge in the City of Brotherly Love, will be given the tough task of replacing beloved former Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who retired after the conclusion of this season.
Bochy managed San Francisco for 13 seasons, winning 3 World Series titles.
It comes as no surprise that the Giants would pick Kapler as their new manager considering his close relationship with President of Baseball Operations Zarhan Zaidi. The two worked together closely prior to the 2017 season as members of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.
Kapler will have a three-year contract to prove that he is the right man for the job. Questions will undoubtedly hang over his head until he proves that he can be successful after two seasons without a winning record with the Phillies, including a disappointing 2018 campaign that saw the team fall short of its goals.
It’s the beginning of a new era for the Giants, and Zaidi will hope that his choice proves to be a stroke of genius.
