Joe Girardi was interviewed by the Texas Rangers on Friday in Arlington in their search for a new manager, according to multiple reports.
Girardi, the former New York Yankees and Marlins manager, was the first person with big league managerial experience interviewed by the Rangers as they look to replace fired manager Jeff Banister, the reports said.
The team is making no public comments about the first round of managerial interviews.
Girardi managed the Yankees to a World Series title in 2009, their 27th overall and only one since 2000. He had a 910-710 record over 10 seasons in New York (2008-17). His contract wasn't renewed after the Yankees lost to eventual World Series champion Houston in a seven-game American League Championship Series last October, and he was a studio analyst for MLB Network this season.
In his only season managing the Marlins, in 2006, Girardi was National League Manager of the Year after a 78-84 record with a team that had the lowest payroll in the majors.
Girardi, whose 54th birthday is Sunday, played 15 seasons in the big leagues. He was part of three World Series championships in his four seasons with the Yankees and also played for the Chicago Cubs, Colorado and St. Louis
The Rangers previously interviewed Cubs bench coach Brandon Hyde, Astros bench coach Joe Espada and Texas assistant general manager Jayce Tingler.
Banister was the AL Manager of the Year in 2015, his first season in Texas. The Rangers won the AL West in 2015 and 2016, but are coming off consecutive losing seasons. He was fired with 10 games left in a 95-loss season when the focus shifted to the development of younger players.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.