Gabe Alvarez, the Detroit Tigers’ Triple-A manager, was abruptly dismissed following a human resources investigation into alleged harassment claims by a female employee, according to sources briefed on the matter.
The Tigers announced Tuesday that Alvarez’s contract had been terminated in-season “due to a violation of club policy,” but did not provide further details.
Alvarez, viewed by some in the industry as a potential future big-league coach, was promoted to Triple-A Toledo in 2025. The 52-year-old managed the Tigers’ Double-A Erie affiliate for three seasons, which included back-to-back Eastern League titles in 2023 and ’24. Several organizational sources briefed on the matter, all of whom requested anonymity to discuss a sensitive topic, told The Athletic that the HR department for Ilitch Sports + Entertainment — the Tigers’ parent company — was made aware of a complaint against Alvarez on Monday night.
Neither the Tigers nor Alvarez nor his representation responded to multiple requests seeking comment, although Alvarez did release a statement 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 online IS+E employee handbook, a copy of which was viewed by The Athletic, states that a violation of the company’s harassment policy will result in disciplinary action, “including immediate termination.” Alvarez’s dismissal is the latest in a series of recent workplace misconduct allegations for the Tigers and IS+E, a company that also owns the Detroit Red Wings and several entertainment venues in the Detroit area, among other entities.
In April 2025, assistant general manager Sam Menzin abruptly resigned after 13 years with the team. Menzin, then 34, was viewed in some circles as a rising star after ascending from intern to the front office. The Tigers did not disclose why he left, but The Athletic reported that an internal investigation found he sent lewd, unsolicited photos to multiple women who worked for the team.
Last September, an investigation by The Athletic found at least eight men employed by IS+E or its former broadcast partner — including Menzin — had been accused of misconduct toward women since 2023, including four vice presidents and two other high-ranking employees. Following The Athletic’s reporting, the organization parted ways with Peter Soto, vice president of game presentation and fan experience. Ilitch Sports + Entertainment CEO Ryan Gustafson defended the organization’s workplace culture while encouraging transparency and accountability.
After the September investigation, Gustafson, who was promoted to his current role in March 2024, said there were no plans to involve an outside firm to assess the organization’s culture.
“Do we need to focus on continued improvement in our culture? Yes,” Gustafson said in September. “But I’m very confident that there isn’t a larger issue from a misconduct standpoint.”
— Cody Stavenhagen contributed to this report.
