The Toronto Blue Jays are ready to go back to the future.
John Gibbons, who managed the team from 2004-08, will be re-hired as the Blue Jays’ manager on Tuesday morning, the Toronto Sun reported late Monday night.
Gibbons would take over for John Farrell, whom the Blue Jays traded to the Red Sox last month.
In his only previous major league managerial stint, Gibbons guided the Blue Jays to a 305-305 record. He was fired midway through the 2008 season with the team in last place.
The Sun reported that Gibbons gained a big edge due to his familiarity with general manager Alex Anthopoulos. During Gibbons’ time on the bench in Toronto, Anthopoulos was the organization’s assistant GM.
After leaving Toronto, Gibbons, 50, served as the Kansas City Royals’ bench coach from 2009-11. This year, he managed Double-A San Antonio, a San Diego Padres affiliate, compiling a 60-80 record.
The Blue Jays dealt Farrell to Boston in exchange for shortstop Mike Aviles, with the Red Sox also receiving right-hander David Carpenter in the deal.
As recently as Saturday, ESPN.com reported that the Blue Jays narrowed their managerial search down to Jim Tracy and Jim Riggleman.
Tracy resigned as Colorado Rockies’ manager in October after the club finished 64-98.
Riggleman most recently managed the Cincinnati Reds’ Double-A affiliate in Pensacola, Fla. He stepped down as Washington Nationals’ manager in the middle of the 2011 season when general manager Mike Rizzo refused to discuss a contract extension with him.
On Monday, multiple media outlets reported that former Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners manager Mike Hargrove also was in the mix for the Toronto job.
Gibbons’ arrival will cap a busy few days for the Blue Jays.
Baseball commissioner Bud Selig finally approved Toronto’s blockbuster deal with the Miami Marlins on Monday. The Blue Jays received shortstop Jose Reyes, right-hander Josh Johnson, left-hander Mark Buehrle, catcher John Buck and utility player Emilio Bonifacio for shortstop Yunel Escobar, right-hander Henderson Alvarez, catcher Jeff Mathis and four prospects.
Toronto also signed free agent outfielder Melky Cabrera to a two-year, $16 million deal that became official Monday. Cabrera is coming off a 50-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. Before his ban, Cabrera hit .346 in 113 games for the San Francisco Giants this year, and he was selected the MVP of the All-Star Game.