After hiring Andrew Friedman as president of baseball operations, the Los Angeles Dodgers assembled a robust front office that has both seen various executives play a key role for the organization and leave for other clubs.
Among those who have worked lock in step with Friedman is Josh Byrnes. He was hired as the Dodgers’ senior vice president of baseball operations in November 2014, when the club also brought on Farhan Zaidi as general manager.
Zaidi has of course since gone on to become president of baseball operations in the San Francisco Giants front office. Byrnes has remained in his role with the Dodgers and appears poised to do so again in 2021.
According to Jayson Stark of The Athletic, Byrnes has withdrawn his name from consideration for the Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations:
Dodgers senior VP Josh Byrnes has decided to stay in LA and won’t remain in the running for the Phillies’ president of baseball operations job, sources say.
The Phillies continue to talk to former Marlins GM Michael Hill and other candidates. But their timetable remains unclear.
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) December 9, 2020
Reports of Byrnes interviewing with the Phillies surfaced at the end of November. Philadelphia was said to not only have interest in Byrnes but Dodgers vice president and assistant general manager Jeff Kingston as well.
By early December, Byrnes had reportedly emerged as a frontrunner in the Phillies’ search. He has been a general manager for parts of eight seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres. Byrnes last held the role with the Padres prior to being fired in June 2014.
Kingston remains with Dodgers
Byrnes is a second executive to remain with the Dodgers this offseason, as Kingston previously was a finalist for the L.A. Angels general manager vacancy.
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