LOS ANGELES -- Former Cy Young winner Orel Hershiser will interview for the vacant Dodgers managerial job early next week.

The Dodgers received permission from the Texas Rangers on Friday to interview Hershiser. Hershiser has been the Rangers pitching coach since June 22, 2002. Prior to that, he was associate to general manager John Hart after concluding a 17-season Major League career with a 204-150 record.

Hershiser is the only current candidate for the post who has never managed at any level.

"That speaks to what we think of him and his capabilities," said general manager Paul DePodesta. "No question he's very bright. He is a leader. He understands what it takes to win.

"He was a 17th-round pick and he was not thought of as much of a prospect. He made himself into a tremendous winner and possibly a Hall of Famer. It's hard not to like a guy like that, given his intelligence and history in the organization. He has a lot going for him."

Hershiser will be the sixth candidate to be interviewed. The initial round of interviews were with farm director Terry Collins, Triple-A manager Jerry Royster, former Detroit manager Alan Trammell, San Francisco bench coach Ron Wotus and Cleveland Indians Minor League manager Torey Lovullo. Atlanta Braves hitting coach Terry Pendleton withdrew from consideration before an interview could take place.

Hershiser, 47, is the most prominent former Dodgers player to be contacted for the position since the departure of Jim Tracy almost three weeks ago. Kirk Gibson and Bobby Valentine also have been mentioned as possible candidates.

On the field, Hershiser joined with Fernando Valenzuela to make the Dodgers' starting rotation one of the most formidable in the game. In 1988, with Valenzuela sidelined by shoulder problems, Hershiser helped lead the Dodgers to their most recent World Series title with a 23-8 record and 2.26 ERA. That same year, he set a Major League record by hurling 59 consecutive scoreless innings.

A unanimous pick for the Cy Young that year, he also was named MVP of the World Series -- pitching two complete games, including the clincher -- and threw a shutout against the Mets in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series.

Hershiser replaced Valenzuela as the staff's ironman, pitching no fewer than 256 innings a year from 1987-89, but the workload took its toll and Hershiser required surgery in 1990 to rebuild his shoulder capsule.

The right-hander would mount a comeback that enabled him to pitch for another decade. He left the Dodgers after the 1994 season, pitched for Cleveland, San Francisco and the New York Mets before finishing his career with the Dodgers in 2000. He was released June 27 of that year and retired.