The Los Angeles Dodgers are now in the midst of searching for a new manager after the team and Don Mattingly have mutually parted ways on Thursday. It is now speculated that his possible replacement will come from the Dodgers' existing staff. EPSN's Buster Olney reported that Gabe Kapler is a "serious front-runner" to be the new Dodgers manager.
Kapler is currently the team's director of player development. Rumors of him eventually being promoted to the manager have been floating around since his hiring late last year. It is further reinforced when the New York Post's Joel Sherman reported that Los Angeles has started the process of looking for a new manager, and Kapler is indeed in the list of candidates.
The 40-year-old former outfielder, who was considered to be one of the bright young minds in the game, joined the Dodgers last November to direct the team's farm system. He left his job as an analyst for Fox Sports.
One factor that may prevent the Dodgers from placing him as the manager is his lack of sufficient managerial experience. However, he does have one year of being in the dugout as well as one season's worth of leading the Class A South Atlantic League. Should Kapler become the manager, he would have more experience than Don Mattingly had when the latter took over.
The organization's move to release Mattingly was reached following "several days" of talks involving him and the team's president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and senior vice president of baseball operations Josh Byrnes. He still had one year left on his contract when he was dismissed.
In other Dodgers trade updates, it looks like the team has added a reliever to its roster. A recent post on the team's official Twitter account reads, "Today, #Dodgers claimed RHP Lisalverto Bonilla from the Rangers and placed the 25-year-old on the 60-day DL (April Tommy John surgery)."
The former Texas Rangers right-hander, who is recovering from a Tommy John surgery that he had undergone earlier this year, is headed to Los Angeles. He is the last player in Texas connected to the deal that sent infielder Michael Young to the Philadelphia Phillies. The 25-year-old Bonilla, who has experience both as starter and reliever, is expected to open the 2016 season on the disabled list before joining Los Angeles' Triple-A affiliate.
