Diamondbacks fire manager Kirk Gibson, bench coach Alan Trammell

A day after hiring Dave Stewart as senior vice president and general manager, the Arizona Diamondbacks relieved manager Kirk Gibson and bench coach Alan Trammell of their duties. 

“Kirk has done an admirable job under difficult circumstances and we are grateful for his professionalism and his dedicated service to the organization over the past eight years,” said chief baseball officer Tony La Russa in a statement. 

“We feel like it is time for a fresh start and with our recent restructuring in Baseball Operations, we want to get started immediately moving in a new direction. We are also appreciative of Alan Trammell for all that he has done for the D-backs and have great respect for what both men have accomplished in the game of baseball.”

The move continues the shakeup by La Russa, who joined the Diamondbacks in May and began his tenure by firing former general manager Kevin Towers less than three months into the job. 

Gibson joined the Diamondbacks as a bench coach in 2007 and was appointed interim manager in 2010 following the firing of A.J. Hinch. Gibson was named manager shortly after and led the Diamondbacks to a division title in 2011. 

Things went south for the Diamondbacks after 2011, posting back-to-back .500 seasons before eventually hitting rock bottom in 2014. Arizona owns a 63-96 record with three games remaining and is on pace to post its second-lowest win total in the franchise's 17-year existence. 

The Diamondbacks will immediately begin to search for a new manager, but stated that Trammell, despite being relived of his duties, will manage the team for the remaining three games.