The Giants’ Alyssa Nakken becomes the first MLB coach on the field

SAN FRANCISCO — Alyssa Nakken made major league history as the first woman to coach on the field in a regular-season game when she took her seat for the San Francisco Giants against San Diego on Tuesday night.

Nakken, 31, came on as first base coach for the Giants in the third inning of San Francisco’s 13-2 win after Antoan Richardson was sacked.

When she was announced as Richardson’s replacement, Nakken received a hearty ovation from the crowd – and a congratulatory handshake from Padre’s first baseman Eric Hosmer.

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

“You’re proud to be out there,” Nakken said at the time. “Personally for me it’s the best place to watch a game, that’s for sure.”

The former Sacramento State softball star, whose blonde braid was hanging from her orange hard hat on Tuesday, became the first female coach in the major leagues when she was hired to work on Giants manager Gabe Kapler’s staff in January 2020.