Gabe Alvarez, manager of the Detroit Tigers‘ Triple-A team, was fired Tuesday after sending an “inappropriate” text message to a female colleague, he said in a statement released to ESPN on Wednesday night.
“I sent a single text message to a colleague that I intended as a lighthearted joke,” Alvarez said in the statement. “Shortly after sending it, I recognized that the message was inappropriate and did not reflect the values and judgment I strive to uphold, and I immediately reached out to clarify my intent.
“I never intended to cause discomfort or offense, and I regret that the message created this situation. This was an isolated incident and not reflective of my long-standing record of professionalism, respect for colleagues, and conduct over the course of my career.”
The specifics of the message, which are unclear, were relayed to the organization’s human resources department Monday, and the 52-year-old Alvarez was fired Tuesday due to what the organization called “a violation of club policy.”
Over the past year, multiple reports from The Athletic outlined inappropriate behavior from men toward women in the organization. Sam Menzin, an assistant general manager with the team, resigned in April 2025 and was later reported to have sent lewd photos to multiple female Tigers employees. A later report alleged eight men employed by Ilitch Sports and Entertainment — the consortium that owns the Tigers and the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings — were accused of misconduct toward women.
Alvarez, who spent three seasons in the major leagues with the Tigers and San Diego Padres, coached at USC, where he went to college, after retiring. He joined the Tigers organization in 2022 and a season later was named Eastern League Manager of the Year after the Erie SeaWolves won their first of consecutive league titles under his stewardship.
He was promoted to manage Triple-A Toledo before the 2025 season and returned there this year. Alvarez, sources said, had a clean file with the Tigers’ HR department before sending the text message Monday. Employees who violate Ilitch Sports’ harassment policy are subject to automatic termination, according to The Athletic.
