Orioles fire Duquette, Showalter

BALTIMORE (AP) — Buck Showalter has been fired as manager of the Orioles, who made three playoff appearances under his guidance but this year staggered through the worst season since the team moved to Baltimore in 1954.

Showalter confirmed the dismissal Wednesday in a text message to The Associated Press.

A three-time AL Manager of the Year, Showalter ranks second on the Orioles' career list with 669 victories, trailing Earl Weaver.

He took over in August 2010 and orchestrated the resurgence of a team that suffered through 14 straight losing seasons.

Once hailed for making baseball in Baltimore relevant again, the 62-yearold Showalter is out of a job after a season in which the Orioles finished 47-115, 61 games behind Boston in the AL East.

His contract expired at the end of October, and the Orioles opted against a renewal as they continue a major rebuild that began in late July, when they traded stars Manny Machado, Zach Britton, Jonathan Schoop and Kevin Gausman for minor league prospects.

Those deals were made by Dan Duquette, the executive vice president of baseball operations who was fired hours after Showalter was told by the club he would not return.

Duquette joined the Orioles in November 2011 and put together a team that ended a franchise-record run of 14 straight losing seasons by reaching the playoffs in 2012.

It would be the first of five successive seasons in which Baltimore finished at least .500.

The Orioles won the AL East and reached the AL Championship Series in 2014 before earning a wild-card berth in 2016.

Following a 75-87 finish last year, Baltimore struggled from outset this season.

Showalter earned AL Manager of the Year honors in 2014.

He was also named Manager of Year with the Yankees in 1994 and Texas in 2004.

His career record is 1,551-1,517, including 669-684 with the Orioles.

With his future in doubt, Showalter appeared undaunted during the final series of the regular season.

"You know how good they've been to me? I'm not ever going to forget that, regardless of what happens," he said.