Kevin Towers, Arizona Diamondbacks GM Fired

Arizona Diamondbacks rumorsThe Arizona Diamondbacks have dismissed general manager Kevin Towers after nearly 4 years on the job,  according to published reports.  In May the Diamondbacks hired Tony LaRussa as a chief baseball officer to oversee Towers and the baseball operations department.  Since that time there has been widespread speculation on whether or not Towers would be retained.

Towers was hired on Sept. 22, 2010, with the D-backs mired in last place for a second consecutive season. Josh Byrnes had been dismissed as GM on July 1, and Towers replaced interim GM Jerry Dipoto. There was no word on the future of  Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson.

2011 was the most successful  season under Towers’ watch when the team won 94 games and the National League West.  however since then the team is finished 500 in each of the past two seasons. This year the team has been devastated by injuries losing number one starter Patrick Corbin to Tommy John surgery before the season began. Paul Goldschmidt, Mark Trumbo, and AJ Pollock were also lost to injuries.

The Diamondbacks traded away many starting pitchers over the past two seasons, including right-handers Ian Kennedy, Trevor Bauer and Jarrod Parker and left-hander Tyler Skaggs.  Unfortunately, the players Arizona and received in return have not lived up to expectations perhaps forcing the team to make a change