DETROIT – Ron Gardenhire announced Saturday he was retiring as the Tigers' manager, effective immediately.
Gardenhire worked 16 years in Major League management, spending the last three seasons with the Tigers. Prior to Detroit, Gardenhire worked as a bench coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017 and managed the Minnesota Twins from 2002-2014.
“This is a bittersweet day for myself and my family. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the countless players and coaches that I’ve had the honor of working alongside for the last 16 seasons as manager," Gardenhire said. “I’d also like to thank the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins for giving me the privilege of leading their clubhouses.”
When sports were put on hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gardenhire told Local 4 in April he was spending his downtime with his family and fishing.
“On behalf of all of us with the Detroit Tigers, congratulations to Ron Gardenhire on a tremendous managerial career,” said Detroit Tigers Chairman and CEO Christopher Ilitch. “One of the best baseball men around, we’re fortunate to have had Gardy lead our team for the past three seasons, and during this rebuilding period. He has done a great job in shaping the future successes I know our organization will see.”
Gardenhire said he’s excited to see how the Tigers continue to grow.
“While I’m stepping away from managing, I’ll be watching this group of Tigers closely in the next few years,” Gardenhire said. "There’s a lot of talent on this team, and a lot coming through the farm system. Tigers fans are going to enjoy the exciting times on the horizon.”
“First off, I’d like to congratulate Gardy for having one of the best managerial careers in baseball history,” said Tigers General Manager, Al Avila. “His leadership and hard work over three seasons with our ballclub has helped move us towards our goal of bringing winning baseball back to Detroit. His positive impact on our young players will be felt for years to come.”
Gardenhire finishes his managerial career with 1,200 wins, which ranks 46th in MLB history.
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