MLB notebook: O's parting with manager Showalter

[October 04, 2018]  Buck Showalter is out as manager of the Baltimore Orioles, and executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette was fired, too, the team announced Wednesday night.

Director of player development Brian Graham will run the baseball operations department while the club looks for someone outside the organization to fill the role, according to the team. The new GM will hire the new manager, per the club's press release.

Showalter, 62, managed the Orioles for parts of nine seasons, and his 669 wins with the franchise trail only Hall of Fame member Earl Weaver (1,480). Duquette, 60, had been with Baltimore since 2011, after nine years away from Major League Baseball. He had served as general manager of the Boston Red Sox from 1994-2002.

Baltimore experienced a dreadful 47-115 campaign this season to set the worst mark in franchise history.

--Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon is coming back for a fifth season, team president Theo Epstein confirmed.

There had been some speculation about Maddon's future in Chicago following a disappointing finish. The Cubs, who had the best record in the National League for much of the second half this season, lost an NL Central tiebreaker to Milwaukee on Monday and lost the NL wild-card game to Colorado on Tuesday to be eliminated from the post season.

USA Today reported Maddon will not be offered a contract extension, as he enters the final year of a five-year, $25 million pact.

--Cubs shortstop Addison Russell received a 40-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's domestic abuse policy, the league announced.

The unpaid suspension is retroactive to Sept. 21, when the league placed Russell on administrative leave. Russell has agreed not to appeal the ban and will participate in a supervised treatment program, according to the league.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter (26) walks off the field after speaking with an umpire in the third inning against the Houston Astros at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Russell has denied the claims by his ex-wife, Melisa Reidy-Russell, that he was physically, emotionally and verbally abusive during their relationship.

--The New York Yankees left first baseman Greg Bird off their American League wild-card roster, instead opting for hot-hitting Luke Voit.

Bird's omission was the biggest surprise as the Yankees announced their roster prior to Wednesday night's one-game matchup against the Oakland Athletics.

Voit, 27, was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals in late July and later was sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre by the Yankees. But he has swung a hot bat since his return to the majors, hitting .351 with 14 homers, with 10 of the blasts coming in September.

--Field Level Media

[© 2018 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2018 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.