Tim Wallach interviews for Tigers manager opening, per reports

Dodgers third base coach Tim Wallach interviewed with the Detroit Tigers on Friday for their vacant managerial job, per multiple reports. Jonah Keri of ESPN's Grantland reported Friday evening that talks between Wallach and Detroit were "escalating." Wallach's candidacy and talks with Detroit were confirmed by Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times and Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports.

Chris Iott of MLive.com went one step further, reporting that Wallach interviewed for the position in Detroit on Friday, and that Wallach said via text message of the interview, "I thought it went well."

Wallach returned to California Friday night, per Jason Beck of MLB.com.

Jim Leyland retired on Monday after eight years with the Tigers, which included four playoff appearances, three American League Central division titles, and two pennants. One day later, Wallach had his 2014 option exercised by the Dodgers to return as third base coach.

Wallach managed Triple-A Albuquerque in 2009 and 2010 before joining the Dodgers as third base coach under Don Mattingly in 2011. Wallach has also interviewed for the Brewers' managerial opening after 2010 and with the Red Sox after 2012 but lost out on both jobs.

Back when Mattingly, with no managerial experience, got the Dodgers' job over Wallach, succeeding Joe Torre after the 2010 season, Wallach talked about his desire to manage in the major leagues.

"I haven't thought so much about this job. I've been trying to get experience managing. It wasn't necessarily to lead me to manage the Dodgers; it was to get me experience to have an opportunity to manage," Wallach said. "It's up to other people to decide whether or not I have enough experience to manage [in the major leagues]."