BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles fired executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette, who launched a belated rebuilding effort in July after the team that failed miserably from the start.
The announcement came Wednesday night, hours after Manager Buck Showalter was told by the club he would not return in 2019.
Baltimore went 47-115, the worst record in Orioles’ history. Both Duquette and Showalter had contracts that expired at the end of this season.
Duquette joined the Orioles in November 2011 and put together a team that ended a franchise-record run of 14 straight losing seasons by reaching the playoffs in 2012. It would be the first of five successive seasons in which Baltimore finished at least .500. The Orioles won the AL East and reached the Championship Series in 2014 before earning a wild-card berth in 2016.
Following a 75-87 finish last year, Baltimore struggled from outset this season. In July, Duquette tore apart the roster by swapping Manny Machado, Zach Britton, Jonathan Schoop and several other veterans for 15 minor league prospects and international signing bonus slot money.
A three-time AL Manager of the Year, Showalter ranks second on the Orioles’ career list with 669 victories, trailing Earl Weaver. He took over in August 2010 and orchestrated the resurgence of a team that suffered through 14 straight losing seasons.
Showalter was named AL Manager of the Year in 2014 after taking the Orioles to the AL East title and a berth in the Championship Series. He was also named Manager of Year with the Yankees in 1994 and Texas in 2004. His career record is 1,551-1,517, including 669-684 with Baltimore.
“I just think ever since he came here, the franchise just gained a little more accountability, gained an edge for some time,” Orioles outfielder Adam Jones said before the final game of the season. “
ROCKIES-BREWERS: Milwaukee Manager Craig Counsell says he will open the National League Division Series against the Colorado Rockies with a bullpen day on the mound.
The Rockies are turning to Antonio Senzatela to start Game 1 at Miller Park on Thursday. The right-hander is 6-6 with a 4.38 ERA in 23 games, including 13 starts.
The Rockies advanced to the NLDS by beating the Cubs 2-1 in 13 innings in Chicago Tuesday night.
The Rockies won on a two-out RBI single by Tony Wolters, who got his first hit since Sept. 10.
INDIANS: Manager Terry Francona has finalized his 25-man roster for the AL Division Series against Houston except for one spot.
Francona said that either outfielder Raja Davis or utility infielder Erik Gonzalez will be the last addition to the roster. The Indians open the series on Friday in Houston against the defending World Series champions.
CUBS: Theo Epstein says Joe Maddon will return for a fifth season as manager.
Chicago’s president of baseball operations confirmed Maddon will stay on for at least the final year of his contract. Epstein says there are no ongoing discussions about an extension for Maddon.
Though he acknowledged some disagreements, Epstein insists he has a “terrific” relationship with Maddon.
Maddon is 387-261-1 in four years with Chicago – 95-68 this season. He has led the Cubs to the NLCS three times and a drought-busting World Series championship in 2016.
But the Cubs blew a five-game lead to Milwaukee in the NL Central, then dropped a tiebreaker to the Brewers at Wrigley Field. Chicago was eliminated by Colorado Tuesday.
n Infielder Addison Russell accepted a 40-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy after a series of allegations made by his ex-wife.
Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the ban and said MLB had completed its investigation into the accusations made by Melisa Reidy. Russell had denied the allegations, which Reidy detailed in a blog post in September.
Russell’s unpaid suspension includes the 11 regular-season games he missed after being placed on administrative leave Sept. 21. Russell will be eligible to return on May 3 against St. Louis, barring any postponements, and he will not appeal the suspension. He will also participate in an evaluation and treatment program.
Chicago acquired Russell in a July 2014 trade with Oakland. He helped the Cubs win the World Series two years ago, batting .238 with 21 homers and 95 RBI in 151 games.
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