Detroit Tigers Fire GM Dave Dombrowski

The Detroit Tigers have announced the firing of team president and general manager Dave Dombrowski and said the team will tap assistant GM Al Avila as replacement for the Tigers GM, who was with the team for nearly 14 seasons.

“I've decided to release Dave from his contract in order to afford him the time to pursue other career opportunities. I feel this is the right time for the Tigers to move forward under new leadership," Tigers owner Mike Ilitch said in a statement via ESPN.

The owner also thanked Dombrowski in the statement and said that the team remains in pursuit of a World Series title in the next few seasons.

Like Dombrowski, Avila has been with the Tigers since 2002 as the team’s top assistant. "I think I'm uniquely qualified to take this job because of all the years I have spent with this organization," Avila said in the press conference. "I know everyone here, and I've been involved with all of our decisions for a long time."

The Tigers are currently in 10th place of the American League standings with a 51-55 win-loss record through Tuesday’s games. Detroit is just 3-6 in the last nine games. With Dombrowski at the helm, the Tigers made the post-season five times, winning two pennants. They also made the playoffs the last four years and came close to winning the World Series title but lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006 and the San Francisco Giants in 2012.

Dombrowski was also a member of the front office for the Montreal Expos from 1988 to 1991 and the Florida Marlins from 1993 to 2001. Dombrowski and the Marlins won the 1997 World Series against the Cleveland Indians.