Source: Phillies sign coveted coach to contract extension

The Philadelphia Phillies have extended coveted third base coach Dusty Wathan, a source said.

The Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to a multi-year contract extension with third base coach Dusty Wathan, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Wathan, 49, interviewed with the Miami Marlins and Kansas City Royals for their vacant managerial openings, sources said. While Wathan impressed in both interviews, he elected to stay in Philadelphia for the foreseeable future with new manager Rob Thomson. Wathan was also a finalist for the Phillies’ job in 2017-2018 before they hired Gabe Kapler.

Phillies extend coveted assistant Dusty Wathan

The industry consensus is that Wathan will eventually be a manager — he has extensive minor-league managerial experience — and Thomson gave him an endorsement when asked about Wathan in June.

“This guy is a fantastic baseball mind and I hope that when jobs come up, managers’ jobs come up, he’s on the tip of every general manager’s tongue. I really do. Because he’s that type of baseball mind as far as I’m concerned,” Thomson said at the time.

The extension came hours before the Phillies are scheduled to face the Houston Astros in the World Series.