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Phillies coach Dusty Wathan will interview for Texas Rangers managerial job

He was the runner-up to Gabe Kapler for the Phillies' job as manager last October.

Phillies third-base coach Dusty Wathan, right, greets Rhys Hoskins after the slugger homered in an April game at Citizens Bank Park.
Phillies third-base coach Dusty Wathan, right, greets Rhys Hoskins after the slugger homered in an April game at Citizens Bank Park.Read moreCHARLES FOX/Staff Photographer

Phillies third-base coach Dusty Wathan is among the candidates for the vacant job as the Texas Rangers manager, a source with knowledge of the situation said Thursday night. Wathan, 45, was the runner-up to Gabe Kapler for the Phillies' job last offseason after spending 10 seasons as a minor-league manager in the organization.

The Rangers, who finished last in the American League West this season, fired Jeff Banister with 10 games left in the season and replaced him with Don Wakamatsu on an interim basis. Banister had led the Rangers to division titles in 2015 and 2016, but did not win a playoff series.

Wathan compiled a 711-633 record during his 10 seasons as a minor-league manager. His journey started in 2008 with the Phillies' rookie league team in Williamsport and included one year with low-A Lakewood, two with high-A Clearwater, five seasons with double-A Reading and one season at triple-A Lehigh Valley.

His Lakewood team won the South Atlantic League title in 2009 and he was named the league's manager of the year. He was also named the Eastern League manager of the year in 2015 and 2016 at Reading and his teams reached the postseason five times during his 10 years.