San Francisco Giants assistant coach Alyssa Nakken made history Tuesday night when she became the first female to coach on the field during a Major League Baseball game.
Nakken entered the Giants game against the San Diego Padres in the third inning after first base coach Antoan Richardson’s ejection.
The 31-year-old said she took the promotion in stride, insisting it was both what she had trained for and what she was hired to do. But she acknowledged that it signaled how many opportunities there are in the sport.
“Everybody can just see that there are a lot of opportunities in baseball. Sometimes I think we always limit ourselves to thinking what we could do. At least that’s my experience. I never thought that I could do something like this because I never saw it,” Nakken said.
“So, I think, sure, it’s certainly important for people to be able to see that this is an opportunity, and they can see somebody that kind of looks like them going out there and coaching in the big leagues,” she added.
Nakken’s coaching performance on Tuesday followed another league milestone, when Rachel Balkovec made her debut as manager for a Yankees affiliate last week.
Meanwhile, players from both teams praised Nakken’s achievement after the Giants 13-2 victory over the Padres.
“I just introduced myself, congratulated her,” Padres first-baseman Eric Hosmer said. “It’s obviously a special moment for her, and a special moment for the game. … It’s something she should be really proud of.”
“It was unreal,” Giants infielder Mauricio Dubón added. “She was one of us out there, so it was pretty cool.”
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