Phillies Rumors: Dusty Baker, Joe Girardi, Buck Showalter to Interview with PHI

As the Philadelphia Phillies conduct their search for a new manager, three-time National League Manager of the Year Dusty Baker will reportedly be interviewed by the team. 

Per Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune, Baker will meet with the Phillies later this week. Baker joins Joe Girardi and Buck Showalter, who will also meet with the team, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Baker has spent the last two seasons working with the San Francisco Giants as a special adviser to team president Larry Baer. His duties also included scouting the Giants' minor league affiliates. 

Gonzales noted the Giants granted Philadelphia permission to interview Baker. 

The Phillies are in the market for a manager after Gabe Kapler's two-season run came to an end when he was fired Oct. 10. 

Per MLB.com's Todd Zolecki, the Phillies are looking at candidates with previous managerial experience.

Zolecki also noted Showalter is "presumed front-runner" because of his connections to general manager Matt Klentak and assistant general manager Ned Rice from their time with the Baltimore Orioles, as well as a team president Andy MacPhail. 

Baker has 22 years of managerial experience between the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals. The 70-year-old has a 1,863-1,636 career record with nine playoff appearances and one trip to the World Series in 2002 with the Giants.