Chicago Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez (left) worked with Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman (right) in Tampa Bay from 2008-14. (Getty Images)

We mentioned Dave Martinez‘s candidacy here yesterday because it hadn’t been mentioned in a while.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported tonight that Martinez will interview with the Dodgers next week.

As we cautioned yesterday, don’t take Martinez’s late interview as a sign that he is in the back of the pack. Though Gabe Kapler is still seen as the front-runner, and Dave Roberts reportedly left a strong impression this week, Martinez’s last-minute interview might only have been held up by something as simple as a scheduling conflict.

Martinez’s familiarity with Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman — the two worked together in Tampa Bay from 2008-14 — might even give have a leg up in the race to replace Don Mattingly.

The Chicago Cubs’ bench coach might not be the last one through the door, either. Multiple reports have indicated that the Dodgers plan to interview 10 candidates (plus or minus). Martinez brings the list of known candidates to nine, along with Kapler, Roberts, Ron Roenicke, Tim Wallach, Bud Black, Kirk Gibson, Bob Geren and Darin Erstad.

Martinez, 50, joined the Cubs after Joe Maddon became their manager prior to last season. The Sun-Times piece quotes Maddon as saying that Martinez is “definitely ready to manage. He understands the numbers; he understands people and tough conversations. He’s really good at tough conversations. He really understands pitching.”

A Brooklyn native, Martinez played 16 major league seasons (1986-2001) for nine different teams, primarily as an outfielder.