| 1 | DETROIT (AP) -- The end of Dave Dombrowski's tenure in Detroit came suddenly and unexpectedly - like so many of the moves he made to build the Tigers into an American League powerhouse. |
| 2 | Dombrowski is out after nearly 14 seasons as president and general manager of the Tigers. |
| 3 | The four-time Central Division champions announced the move Tuesday, catching people at Comerica Park and beyond by surprise. |
| 4 | Dombrowski was fresh off making several big trades last week, and his exit set off rampant speculation about where he would next work. |
| 5 | Dombrowski was in the last season of his contract and overseeing a team stuck below .500, so there was already speculation about whether he'd be back in 2016. |
| 6 | But his abrupt exit - accompanied by a somewhat cryptic explanation from the team - was unusual. |
| 7 | He is being replaced by Al Avila, who has served as his top assistant since 2002. |
| 8 | Avila's son, Alex, catches for the Tigers. |
| 9 | ''I've decided to release Dave from his contract in order to afford him the time to pursue other career opportunities,'' owner Mike Ilitch said in a statement. |
| 10 | About an hour after announcing Dombrowski's departure, the Tigers held a news conference at the ballpark, introducing Avila before Tuesday night's game against Kansas City. |
| 11 | Ilitch wasn't at the news conference and neither was Dombrowski. |
| 12 | A message was left with Dombrowski seeking comment. |
| 13 | ''The only conversation I had with Dave was basically when he left, we said our goodbyes, and obviously we're still great friends. |
| 14 | I don't know how or why Mr. Ilitch made the decision,'' Avila said. |
| 15 | ''Really that's a question more for him. |
| 16 | Avila said Ilitch hired him Saturday, a day after Dombrowski completed the last of his trade-deadline deals. |
| 17 | But Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said he didn't know about the switch until Tuesday. |
| 18 | ''I would like to thank Dave Dombrowski for his 14 years of service,'' Ilitch said in his statement. |
| 19 | Detroit has won four consecutive division titles, a streak that seems almost certain to end this year. |
| 20 | The Tigers lost Tuesday to fall 12 1/2 games behind the first-place Royals. |
| 21 | Dombrowski's last major act at the helm in Detroit was to trade away some of the team's top players with an eye toward the future. |
| 22 | David Price, Yoenis Cespedes and Joakim Soria were all dealt last week. |
| 23 | The 59-year-old Dombrowski was the GM for the Montreal Expos and Marlins before moving to Detroit, and is likely to draw interest from teams around the majors. |
| 24 | Dombrowski joined the Tigers as team president in November 2001, with Detroit coming off a 96-loss season. |
| 25 | He became general manager the following April. |
| 26 | He presided over Detroit's AL-record 119 losses in 2003, but he eventually built one of the most star-studded rosters in baseball. |
| 27 | The Tigers drafted Justin Verlander, traded for Miguel Cabrera and Max Scherzer and signed several key free agents. |
| 28 | At times, Dombrowski's Tigers came seemingly out of nowhere to make big moves, such as signing Prince Fielder in 2012 or trading for Price at last year's deadline. |
| 29 | Detroit won the AL pennant in 2006 and 2012, but the Tigers are still without a World Series title since 1984. |
| 30 | ''Obviously it's tough. |
| 31 | I've been with Dave since the beginning of my career,'' Verlander said. |
| 32 | ''He's done a fantastic job for this organization. |
| 33 | Avila takes over a team with an uncertain future. |
| 34 | Last week's trades helped Detroit add some much-needed young pitching to its system, but the Tigers still have long-term, expensive contracts owed to Verlander, Cabrera and designated hitter Victor Martinez. |
| 35 | Avila had worked with Dombrowski for more than 20 years. |
| 36 | ''I think I'm uniquely qualified to take this job because of all the years I have spent with this organization,'' Avila said. |
| 37 | Avila assured fans that the Tigers aren't going to simply play out the string over the last two months. |
| 38 | ''This does not mean we have given up on this season,'' Avila said. |
| 39 | ''We were sellers at the deadline, but we still have a good enough nucleus to win this season. |
| 40 | The timing of the move puts Avila in the awkward position of taking over a roster that was just reshuffled by his predecessor, but he doesn't see it as a problem. |
| 41 | ''Obviously, Dave was the general manager, so he made the final decision on all of those deals,'' he said. |
| 42 | ''But I had been the one that coordinated all of the information about the players involved in the moves, and I agreed with every one of them. |
| 43 | ''When I agreed to take the job on Saturday, Mr. Ilitch assured me that he is still committed to building a team that can win championships,'' Avila said. |
| 44 | ''We're not going to be in cost-cutting mode. |
| 45 | AP freelance writer Dave Hogg contributed to this report. |