When the Los Angeles Dodgers and manager Don Mattingly mutually agreed to part ways, the front office also allowed Mattingly’s staff to search for jobs elsewhere as the coaches’ contracts expired at season’s end.
Bench coach Tim Wallach has been a bit of a hot commodity in the baseball world, as although he has never been a Major League manager, he’s interviewed for vacancies a handful of times in recent years.
Wallach recently interviewed for the Washington Nationals managerial position and according to Corey Brock of MLB.com, he’s now also interviewed for the San Diego Padres’ managerial vacancy:
Last one through the door for a (first) interview for #Padres manager job? #Dodgers bench coach Tim Wallach.
— Corey Brock (@FollowThePadres) October 28, 2015
Wallach was the Dodgers’ hitting coach in 2004 and 2005, then re-joined the team under Mattingly in 2011 as the team’s third base coach. He was promoted to bench coach in 2014, a position he held again this season. In 2009 and 2010 Wallach managed Triple-A Albuquerque.
The Padres had a bit of a disappointing season in 2015 after A.J. Preller made a splash in his first offseason as general manager, revamping the team and acquiring Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, Wil Myers, James Shields, Craig Kimbrel and Melvin Upton Jr.
But after a mediocre 32-33 start, Preller decided to fire longtime manager Bud Black and hire Pat Murphy as the interim manager. Murphy didn’t fare any better, as the Padres finished in fourth place in the National League West at 74-88.
Wallach is part of a long list of those who have interviewed for the Padres’ manager position, which includes Alex Cora, Andy Green and Phil Nevin.
However, none of them, including Wallach, are viewed as a favorite, as Pittsburgh Pirates third base coach Rick Sofield and former Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire have both interviewed twice for the job.
