Tigers' Triple-A manager says he was fired after sending 'inappropriate' text to female colleague

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — The Detroit Tigers' Triple-A manager says he was fired this week after sending an "inappropriate" text message to a female colleague. The Tigers announced Tuesday that Gabe Alvarez had been fired for what they called a "violation of club policy," but they did not specify the violation. Alvarez told ESPN on Wednesday that he sent "a single text message to a colleague that I intended as a lighthearted joke. "Shortly after sending it, I recognized that the message was inappropriate and did not reflect the values and judgment I strive to uphold, and I immediately reached out to clarify my intent," he said. "I never intended to cause discomfort or offense, and I regret that the message created this situation. This was an isolated incident and not reflective of my long-standing record of professionalism, respect for colleagues, and conduct over the course of my career." The 52-year-old Alvarez played parts of three big league seasons as a third baseman for Detroit and the San Diego Padres before working as an assistant coach with USC. He was hired as a minor league hitting coordinator by Detroit in 2021, began managing Double-A Erie in 2022 and was promoted to managing Triple-A Toledo in 2025. Last September, The Athletic reported that the Tigers had at least eight employees accused of misconduct toward women over the previous two years. The report published in September followed an investigation that started in April 2025 and included interviews with 45 current and former employees along with access to emails, human resources documents, text messages and court records. Six of the eight men alleged to have harassed and abused women were fired or did not have their contracts renewed and one was suspended after The Athletic requested comment about allegations against him. The organization said in a statement then that it was "committed to a culture of respect, safety, and inclusion." In Alvarez's absence, hitting coach Mike Hessman has been named interim manager. On Tuesday, Hessman told reporters in Toledo the team is focused on moving forward after Alvarez's firing. "There will be questions, we don't have a lot of answers," Hessman said. "Main message is getting back to baseball. Things happen throughout a season. ... One hurdle we'll jump over."