Phillies to hire Gabe Kapler as manager

UPDATE: The Phillies are going to hire Gabe Kapler as their next manager, sources told Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.

Zolecki’s sources said the Phillies could announce Kepler’s hiring as early as today. The club did not confirm the hiring as of Monday morning.

Check out our manager carousel tracker for the latest on the Phillies’ opening.

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ORIGINAL: The Phillies are likely to choose Gabe Kapler as their next manager, sources told Jon Heyman and Robert Murray of FanRag Sports.

Kapler, who is the Dodgers’ director of player development, is said to have beaten out the Phillies’ Triple-A manager Dusty Wathan and ex-Red Sox manager John Farrell for the job. Heyman and Murray say that a decision may come from the Phillies as early as Monday, but it could also happen after the World Series ends on either Tuesday or Wednesday night.

Kapler, 42, looks to have become the 54th manager in Phillies history because he brings a new kind of approach to the position.

After retiring from the big leagues in 2010 following a 12-year career with the Tigers, Red Sox, Brewers, Rays and Rockies, the former outfielder has become a sabermetrics guy and has always been heavily involved in nutrition. He was also worked in player development for the Rays, was a former analyst for FOX Sports, coaches Team Israel of the WBC in 2012 and coached for a low-level Boston affiliate in 2007, when he briefly retired from baseball.

The Phillies are coming off a dreadful 66-96 season in which they finished last in the NL East.