All articles tagged with #front office
Dana Brown’s departure as Astros GM sparks a watchlist of seven MLB executives who could be next to face changes: Nick Krall (Reds), Mike Elias (Orioles), Jerry Dipoto (Mariners), Scott Harris (Tigers), David Stearns (Mets), Ben Cherington (Pirates) and Buster Posey (Giants), with underperforming rosters and rebuilds cited as the backdrop for heightened scrutiny.
The Houston Astros announced a mutual parting with GM Dana Brown after four seasons, with assistant GMs Charles Cook, Gavin Dickey and Connor Huff and senior advisor Jeff Bagwell taking over duties as owner Jim Crane oversees baseball operations during the transition. Brown thanked the organization; his tenure included high-priced signings like Jose Abreu and Rafael Montero that underperformed and a lack of extensions for core players Jeremy Peña, Kyle Tucker, Hunter Brown, Alex Bregman and Framber Valdez, though Cristian Javier did receive a five-year extension.
CBS Sports completes its two-part ranking by listing the bottom 15 NBA front offices, with the Lakers, Trail Blazers, and Nuggets near the bottom due to a lack of long-term vision, mismanagement, and ownership instability, plus a rundown of other teams’ questionable moves across the league.
An 11th annual fan survey of 32 NHL teams grades front offices across six categories (roster building, cap management, drafting and development, trading, free agency and vision). Carolina Hurricanes sit No. 1, followed by Montreal and Tampa Bay, with the Utah Mammoth in the top five; Buffalo makes the biggest leap, cracking the top 10 from last year’s bottom, while several teams face questions about long-term strategy, cap planning and development as fans weigh recent moves and future potential.
Posey’s transition from beloved Giants catcher to president of baseball operations puts his legacy on the line as the team pursues a win-now rebuild that has underperformed. His costly roster bets (Adames, Devers, Chapman), the controversial college-hire of Tony Vitello, and Pride Night fallout have drawn scrutiny from fans and insiders, raising questions about his leadership and how long he’ll remain in the top role if results don’t improve.
Oakland Athletics fire general manager David Forst, ending his eight-year run as GM; the club says it’s a mutual parting of ways though reports describe a firing, and a search for a new head of baseball operations will begin. Forst had led the A’s since 2015, a tenure that saw limited postseason success despite back-to-back 97-win seasons in 2018–2019, with payroll constraints and an ongoing relocation saga—moving from Oakland toward Las Vegas and considering temporary homes in Sacramento—dominating the franchise’s recent era.
The Oakland Athletics fired general manager David Forst in a mutual parting, naming assistant Dan Feinstein as interim GM and launching a comprehensive search for a replacement. The move ends the Beane/Forst era, comes as the club relocates to Las Vegas with a new stadium planned for Opening Day 2028, and reflects a mixed track record as Oakland builds around a young core while contending with pitching gaps and a sub-.500 run in recent seasons (45-70 this year).
Atlanta Braves entered the trade deadline as obvious buyers with a commanding NL East lead and strong playoff odds, adding Lane Thomas and Brent Suter but not landing a starting pitcher. The rotation remains thin behind Chris Sale, a gap the article argues represents a notable missed opportunity given their postseason chances and the available rotation options.
With the Aug. 3 deadline looming, seven MLB executives—Dave Dombrowski (Phillies), David Stearns (Mets), Dana Brown (Astros), Brian Cashman (Yankees), Mike Elias (Orioles), Craig Breslow (Red Sox) and Ben Cherington (Pirates)—are under intense scrutiny as they chase adds or trades to shield job security, chase a World Series run, or reshape rosters for 2027, with marquee talking points including Bryce Harper’s call for bullpen help, Tarik Skubal’s potential move, and the need for lefty outfield and rotation depth.
Despite strong preseason projections and a +28 run differential, Detroit sits 50-56 with playoff odds around 28–33%, turning the trade deadline into a high-stakes decision. Tarik Skubal is the marquee rental, and the Tigers face four paths: go all in, sell Skubal (and possibly others), keep Skubal but trade other veterans to trim payroll, or trade for salary relief while still trying to contend in 2026. Each choice carries far-reaching implications for the short term and the team’s longer-term trajectory.
An Athletic analysis uses the 'Ambition Tiers' to gauge each MLB club's 2026 plans based on activity ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Dodgers sit in Tier 1 as the all-in, title-or-bust favorite; Tier 5 includes teams like the White Sox, Marlins and Nationals signaling they’re a year early rather than all-in; Tier 6 covers Athletics, Rockies and Reds seen as gearing up for offseason changes; Tier 7 groups Giants, Mets, Royals and Angels weighing bigger roster shifts and introspection. Washington’s Curtis Mead for Connelly Early move illustrates balancing 2026 needs with longer-term aims, with the tiers updated as trades unfold.
The St. Louis Blues announced a series of front-office promotions and new hires after formalizing President of Hockey Operations Doug Armstrong and GM Alexander Steen’s roles. Keith Tkachuk was promoted to advisor to the president of hockey operations; Chris Thorburn became director of player development; Elliott Mondou was promoted to assistant to the GM. Additional moves include Alex Starovoytov to full-time scout, Madison Greenough to senior data engineer, Jazzmyn Carter to senior coordinator of hockey operations, Robert Bortuzzo returning as pro scout, Shane Malloy as director of strategic planning, and Dr. Ted Barile as team chiropractor, with reporting lines aligned to Armstrong or Steen.
The Angels fired Perry Minasian and named John Mozeliak their interim GM for 2026, with Mozeliak in charge of drafting, the trade deadline, and finding a long‑term GM, while possibly staying on as an advisor. Moreno wasn’t involved in the hire and has signaled a preference for a quicker turnaround, whereas Molly Jolly will oversee baseball operations. A full‑time GM is expected to be hired before Mozeliak’s deal ends (likely by August at the earliest), with candidates such as Randy Flores already floated. The move raises questions about whether Moreno’s ownership style will change as the team pursues a restart under new leadership.
Industry insiders hailed the 2026 NBA Draft as unusually deep with few misfires, praising top picks like AJ Dybantsa to the Wizards and Darryn Peterson to the Jazz for their fits and upside, while Cameron Boozer landed with the Grizzlies in a spot many call ideal; Sacramento’s Darius Acuff Jr. at No. 7 and Golden State’s Yaxel Lendeborg at No. 11 were highlighted as immediate-impact additions, and Oklahoma City’s Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz gave them size and versatility. Late moves—Alex Karaban to Sacramento, Cameron Carr to the Lakers, and Brooklyn’s Mikel Brown Jr. at No. 6—generated discussion about culture-setting value and injury risk. Overall, there were no obvious bad first-round picks, but the draft’s ripple effects and new coaching moves (like Dallas hiring Dusty May) will drive summer trades.
The Mets will end Andy Green’s interim managerial stint after the 2026 season and reinstate him in the front office, as New York begins a full managerial search. Green took over after firing Carlos Mendoza, but the club remains far from .500 and under David Stearns’ leadership the organization will seek long-term leadership changes in the offseason.