Report: SF Giants interview third-base coach for open manager position

The SF Giants have interviewed third-base coach Mark Hallberg for the team’s manager job, per a report by Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle.

As the SF Giants contemplate options to replace Gabe Kapler as the team's manager after he was fired last month, incumbent third-base coach Mark Hallberg appears to be solidifying himself as the top internal candidate, according to a report by Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle. Hallberg interviewed with Giants' for the opening earlier this week, per Slusser. Hallberg has been a coach in the Giants organization since 2018.

SF Giants Michael Conforto (right) low-fives third base coach Mark Hallberg. (2023) / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

"Mark Hallberg, the San Francisco Giants’ third-base coach, is emerging as the top in-house candidate for the team’s open managerial position," wrote Slusser. "The Chronicle has learned that Hallberg, 37, interviewed for the job this week."

Hallberg became an assistant coach with the Giants' short-season affiliate in 2018 and was named the affiliate's manager in 2019. Then, Hallberg was hired as an assistant coach by Kapler when he replaced Bruce Bochy prior to the 2020 campaign. A year later, Hallberg was promoted to third-base coach, where he remained for the past three seasons.

Hallberg's relationship with an influential franchise icon could give him an inside track to the opening. Hallberg spent his final collegiate season at Florida State, where he roomed with Giants legend turned part-owner Buster Posey. As Posey angles to shape the franchise going forward, helping his longtime friend-who he recommended to the organization back in 2018-become manager would be an obvious mechanism.

With that said, it's worth wondering whether an internal candidate would be a sizable enough shake-up going forward if clubhouse culture was a driving factor in the decision to move on from Kapler. The Giants seemingly scapegoated Kapler by moving on and retaining the majority of his coaching staff would further signal that the franchise believes he was solely responsible for the team's underperformance.

There is an alternate explanation, although one that is more unsettling for fans. President of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, who has a longstanding relationship with Kapler, is entering the final year of his contract and will likely be let go next year if the Giants are unable to rebound. That uncertainty could make ownership hesitant to commit a guaranteed multi-year contract to a new manager since a new president of baseball operations would likely want to do a search of their own. So, rather than pursuing the best available options, they may be more open to an internal candidate willing to take a one-year deal.

At this point, it still seems unlikely that the SF Giants will hire an internal candidate to be the team's next manager. However, per Slusser's reporting, third-base coach Mark Hallberg appears to be the top internal candidate. Slusser also mentioned that bench coach Kai Correa and consultant Ron Wotus are expected to interview for the position. Catching coach Craig Albernaz is another potential candidate if he does not become the Guardians manager.