Giants’ Alyssa Nakken Becomes 1st MLB Female Coach On Field

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Alyssa Nakken was hard at work in the batting cage, just a few steps from the dugout, when suddenly the call came: The San Francisco Giants needed her to coach at first base.

She quickly pulled off her sweatshirt, grabbed her No. 92 jersey and found a bright orange batting helmet.

A few minutes later, Nakken made major league history as the first female coach on the field in a regular-season game when she took her spot Tuesday night in a 13-2 win over San Diego.

“I think we’re all inspirations doing everything that we do on a day-to-day basis and I think, yes, this carries a little bit more weight because of the visibility, obviously there’s a historical nature to it,” she said. “But again, this is my job.”

Taking over as tonight’s first base coach:

Alyssa Nakken 🧡🤍 pic.twitter.com/YN7vpYnu7q

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) April 13, 2022

Nakken came in to coach first base for the Giants in the third inning after Antoan Richardson was ejected.

When she was announced as Richardson’s replacement, Nakken received a warm ovation from the crowd at Oracle Park, and a congratulatory handshake from Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer.

History.

Alyssa Nakken becomes the first woman to coach on the field in an MLB game after Antoan Richardson was ejected.

Eric Hosmer showed his appreciation 🤝 pic.twitter.com/RdGWKjfcnu

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) April 13, 2022

“Right now in this moment as I reflect back, I reflect back to somebody needed to go out, we needed a coach to coach first base, our first base coach got thrown out, I’ve been in training as a first base coach for the last few years and work alongside Antoan, so I stepped in to what I’ve been hired to do, is support this staff and this team,” Nakken said.

The moment history was made. Congrats, Alyssa Nakken 👏 pic.twitter.com/pzW7NKHTwb

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) April 13, 2022

The baseball Hall of Fame was ready, too. Her helmet is already on its way to the shrine in Cooperstown, New York.

San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler said Nakken had “prepared for this moment” while working with Richardson and others.

“So it’s not a foreign spot on the field for her. She does so many other things well that aren’t seen,” he said. “So it’s nice to see her kind of be right there in the spotlight and do it on the field.”

"I was prepared for this moment."

Alyssa Nakken addresses making history as the first woman to coach on the field in an MLB game pic.twitter.com/xkvsqVrvzp

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) April 13, 2022

Nakken is an assistant coach who works heavily with baserunning and outfield defense. She watches games from an indoor batting cage near the steps to the dugout — and keeps a Giants jersey nearby, just in case she needs it.

And in an instant Tuesday night, she needed it.

Alyssa Nakken now knows how Giants' pinch-hitters feel after Kai Correa told her she was going to be the first base coach 😅 pic.twitter.com/Gcn8YDqZhI

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) April 13, 2022

The 31-year-old Nakken jogged onto the field four days after Rachel Balkovec became the first woman to manage a minor league affiliate of an Major League Baseball team. She guided the New York Yankees’ Class A Tampa club to a win in her first game.

Nakken had previously coached the position in spring training and during part of a July 2020 exhibition game at Oakland against now-Padres manager Bob Melvin when he was skipper of the Athletics. She started at first again a night later against the A’s in San Francisco as the teams prepared for the pandemic-delayed season.

“You feel a sense of pride to be out there,” Nakken said at the time. “Me personally, it’s the best place to watch a game, that’s for sure.”

"I've never felt any sort of lack of support from this organization."

Alyssa Nakken shares some of the words of encouragement she received in the dugout pic.twitter.com/sxrSBvE8lz

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) April 13, 2022

The former Sacramento State softball star, whose blonde braid hung out from her orange protective helmet Tuesday, became the first female coach in the big leagues when she was hired for Kapler’s staff in January 2020.

At Sacramento State from 2009-2012, Nakken was a three-time all-conference player at first base and four-time Academic All American. She went on to earn a master’s degree in sport management from the University of San Francisco in 2015 after interning with the Giants’ baseball operations department a year earlier.

From Day One with the Giants, Nakken embraced her role as an example for girls and women that they can do anything.

“It’s a big deal,” she said. “I feel a great sense of responsibility and I feel it’s my job to honor those who have helped me to where I am.”