While the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants are playing postseason games, the Arizona Diamondbacks are in the process of significant changes. After a second consecutive losing season, the Diamondbacks fired general manager Dave Stewart and manager Chip Hale.
Along with the Dodgers and Giants, the Diamondbacks entered the 2016 season with the expectation of competing for the National League West crown. Arizona singed Zack Greinke to a staggering six-year, $206.5 million contract and traded for Shelby Miller.
They suffered a significant loss when A.J. Pollock fractured his right elbow less than one week before the season began. What’s more, Greinke and Miller had their share of struggles, and the Diamondbacks never recovered.
As their search for a general manager presses forward, one executive they were turned away by was Dodgers vice president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos, per Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball:
Former Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos, now a Dodgers executive, was contacted by the Arizona Diamondbacks about their open general manager’s job. But Anthopoulos has informed the D-backs that he will not be coming for an interview, and instead staying with the Dodgers.
The Diamondbacks are said to have interest in Dodgers senior advisor Ned Colletti, among others. As for Anthopoulos, he was hired by the Dodgers in January. He spent the past six seasons as the Toronto Blue Jays’ general manager and surprisingly left the team last October.
After constructing a club that won the American League East division and made its first postseason appearance in 22 years, Anthopoulos was named Sporting News’ MLB Executive of the Year in 2015.
Shortly after being hired Anthopoulos said he envisioned himself remaining in Los Angeles for several years. Last month he was ruled out as a candidate for the Minnesota Twins’ president of baseball operations vacancy.
