Andrew Friedman has left the Tampa Bay Rays for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Friedman, who took over as the Rays’ general manager following the 2005 season, resigned from his position Tuesday, then became the Los Angeles Dodgers’ new president of baseball operations.
Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti will remain with the organization. He’ll transition into a new role as senior advisor to president and CEO Stan Kasten after serving as Los Angeles’ GM since 2005.
Friedman’s position with the Dodgers is newly created. Sources told ESPN.com’s Ramona Shelburne that Friedman will have the power to hire a new GM — similar to how Theo Epstein hired Jed Hoyer upon becoming the Chicago Cubs’ president of baseball operations.
“Andrew Friedman is one of the youngest and brightest minds in the game today, and we are very fortunate to have him join our organization,” Kasten said in a statement. “The success he has had over the past nine years in molding the Tampa Bay Rays team has been incredible.”
The Rays reached the postseason four times after Friedman took over as GM despite having one of Major League Baseball’s lowest payrolls. They won two American League East titles and reached the World Series in 2008. Rays team president Matthew Silverman will take over Tampa Bay’s baseball operations.
Friedman certainly has a lot more money to play with in his new home. The Dodgers have the highest payroll in baseball.
Photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
