The Rockies’ search for a new front-office boss from outside the organization has hit a detour.
The two leading candidates are no longer in the running for the job, according to a report from The Athletic.
Arizona Diamondbacks assistant general manager Amiel Sawdaye and Cleveland Guardians assistant GM Matt Forman were reportedly finalists to become the head of Rockies baseball operations. Now, neither is being considered, The Athletic reported Monday.
The Denver Post reached out to the Rockies for comment on the report, but did not receive a response as of Monday afternoon. Franchise decision-makers have stayed quiet about their front-office search throughout the process. The team is coming off a 119-loss season and three consecutive 100-loss seasons. The Rockies fired GM Bill Schmidt in early October.
Sawdaye interviewed for the job last Monday, according to a league source, and Forman interviewed at the Rockies’ offices at 20th and Blake on Oct. 24. The Rockies had hoped to announce their new hire this week, but now it’s unclear when they will find their new head of baseball operations. The clock is ticking because MLB’s general managers meetings start next week in Las Vegas.
It’s also unclear if the Rockies have other finalists in mind or how many candidates had a preliminary interview for the job.
Executive vice president Walker Monfort, the son of owner Dick Monfort, is leading the Rockies’ search. Dick Monfort has also been involved in the interviews. The Rockies, who promoted their last two GMs (Jeff Bridich and Schmidt) from within the organization, have said they would search for candidates from outside the organization.
“We are setting our sights on finding the right leader from outside our organization who can bring a fresh perspective to the Rockies and enhance our baseball operations with a new vision, innovation, and a focus on both short and long-term success,” Walker Monfort said last month. “This change delivers an opportunity to shape the future of our club and move forward into a new era of Rockies baseball.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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