Padres hire Jayce Tingler as manager, per report

The Padres have hired Rangers major league player development field coordinator Jayce Tingler as their new manager, according to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Thursday morning:

Tingler, 38, has experience in both the dugout and the front office during his post-playing career. After playing four seasons in the minor leagues (three with the Blue Jays, one with the Rangers), Tingler began his coaching career in the Dominican Summer League in 2007, then became a manager in that league in 2008-09 before moving to the Arizona Rookie League in 2010. His foray into more of a front-office role began in 2011, when he became the Rangers’ coordinator of instruction of Arizona and Dominican operations. He was promoted to minor-league field coordinator from 2012-14, then joined the major-league coaching staff in 2015 as Jeff Banister became the manager, serving as major-league field coordinator. He returned to the front office before the 2017 season, becoming an assistant GM, but he returned to the coaching staff for the 2019 season.

Tingler is somewhat of an interesting hire in San Diego, as many expected them to go with a more established, big-name manager to lead a team that is trying to climb its way back into contention after 13 straight seasons without a playoff appearance and nine straight losing campaigns. Their previous manager, Andy Green, was also a coach in his 30s with minor-league managerial experience highlighting his resume at the time of his hire, and it seemed like guys such as Joe Maddon, Mike Scioscia, and Ron Washington would be candidates to develop a different culture in San Diego. The Padres interviewed Washington, who was managing the Rangers while Padres GM A.J. Preller was assistant GM in Texas, and he was one of two reported finalists alongside Tingler. But he ultimately lost out to the less-experienced coach.

With As MLB Network’s Jon Heyman suggested on Twitter, it’s possible that the Padres could still hire Washington as their bench coach — a mentor of sorts to Tingler and someone who can provide that experienced “gut” input to the first-year manager. But it’s somewhat difficult to see Washington leaving Atlanta, where he is by all accounts happy and beloved by the players, to essentially make a lateral move.