LOS ANGELES — Rumors that the Dodgers will hire Josh Byrnes for a front-office job gained traction Tuesday when he was seen watching an Arizona Fall League game with Dodgers president Stan Kasten and special advisor Pat Corrales. The Dodgers have not confirmed any reports.
Byrnes, a former general manager of the D-backs and Padres, is rumored to be recruited by new president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman for his restructured department. Currently, the Dodgers do not have a general manager or farm director, as Ned Colletti has been reassigned to senior advisor and De Jon Watson left to join the D-backs.
Byrnes began his front office career in 1994 with the Indians as an advance scout, assistant scouting director and scouting director. He followed Cleveland’s Dan O’Dowd to the Rockies as assistant general manager for three years, then became assistant general manager of the Red Sox, a position he held until being named D-backs GM in November 2005.
In four-plus seasons with Arizona, the club won the division title in ’07 and reached the National League Championship Series. But Byrnes and manager A.J. Hinch were dismissed July 2, 2010, with five years remaining on Byrnes’ eight-year contract at the time.
After finishing second to Sandy Alderson for the GM role with the Mets, Byrnes was hired in December 2010, by the Padres, who had been purchased by former Arizona owner Jeff Moorad. Byrnes was assistant to GM Jed Hoyer and after the ’11 season, Hoyer left to be reunited with Theo Epstein with the Cubs and Byrnes was promoted to general manager. He was dismissed on June 22 this year.
Originally from Washington, D.C., Byrnes attended Haverford College in Pennsylvania, where he established school career records in home runs and RBIs.
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
