Tigers fire GM Al Avila

The Detroit Tigers fired executive vice president and general manager Al Avila on Wednesday, the club announced.

"Once I decided to make a change, I sat down with Al and thanked him for his nearly 22 years of service to our organization," Tigers chairman and CEO Christopher Ilitch said in a statement.

Avila held the roles since August 2015 after joining the organization in 2002 as the assistant general manager.

Vice president and assistant general manager Sam Menzin will act as the day-to-day point of contact for the club until a replacement is hired.

"I want to re-establish our momentum and progress toward building a winning team, and I am driven to find a talented executive to help us do that," Ilitch said.

Detroit entered the 2022 season with high hopes after signing infielder Javier Baez and left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez to lucrative free-agent contracts. However, both players have struggled to find their footing this campaign, and the Tigers find themselves sitting in the basement of the AL Central standings with a 43-68 record.

Avila reflected fondly on his time with the organization and expressed regret for the disappointing on-field performance in 2022.

"To Tigers fans, you're the best, and you deserve a winner," Avila said. "I wish the results would have been better this season, but you know there is a lot to look forward to in the coming years."