Minnesota Twins fire manager Paul Molitor, despite 2017 playoff appearance.

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins fired Paul Molitor on Tuesday, one season after he won the American League Manager of the Year award.

“This wasn’t about our record this year,” chief baseball officer Derek Falvey said. “This is about what we think is best as we continue to grow a young team in the direction toward being a championship contender.”

Molitor has been offered an undefined position in baseball operations with the organization. Falvey and other club executives expressed confidence that Molitor would accept it and remain with the Twins.

“I fully respect that decision,” Molitor said in a statement distributed by the team. “I will forever be grateful for the opportunity they gave me to serve in the role as manager for these past four years. I’m going to consider their genuine offer to serve in a different capacity to positively

impact the Twins from a different role.”

The Twins went 305343 under the 62-yearold Molitor, with one appearance in the playoffs in 2017. They were 78-84 this year, long out of postseason contention after a series of early setbacks to several key players.

Falvey and General Manager Thad Levine inherited Molitor when they were hired two years ago, when owner Jim Pohlad said keeping him would be a prerequisite for the job. After the Twins went 85-77 and reached the wild-card game, Molitor was given a new three-year contract.

“I don’t really think that that was a huge roadblock to them,” Pohlad said. “I mean, everybody wanted the situation to work out, and I did too, because Paul’s a personal friend and he’s done so much for our organization and is so important to our community. So I feel good about that decision.”

Molitor