Former Blue Jays GM takes over in Atlanta
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves have selected a young but experienced leader to guide their team, hiring former Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays executive Alex Anthopoulos as their general manager, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press.
Anthopoulos, 40, is expected to be introduced as general manager on Monday, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity Monday because the hiring has yet to be announced.
Anthopoulos, Toronto’s onetime general manager, spent the past two seasons as the Dodgers’ vice-president of baseball operations. He succeeds John Coppolella, who was forced to resign on Oct. 2 after an ongoing investigation by Major League Baseball disclosed rule violations committed by the Braves in the international player market.
After being named the Blue Jays’ GM in 2009, Anthopoulos helped build the team that won the American League East in 2015, ending a 22-year post-season drought.
It was not immediately known if Anthopoulos will be given control of baseball operations with the Braves, duties that have been managed by team president John Hart.
Gordon Blakeley, the team’s international scouting chief, also resigned last month following the disclosure of international scouting violations described by Hart as “serious.”
Anthopoulos began his baseball career with the Montreal Expos as a publicity intern before moving to scouting for three years. He joined Toronto after the 2003 season as a scouting co-ordinator and earned a promotion to VP of baseball operations and assistant GM in 2006 before taking over as GM.