Gabe Alvarez, the former manager of the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens, has revealed that he was dismissed by the team's parent club, the Detroit Tigers, over an 'inappropriate' text message sent to a female colleague. The 52-year-old former Tigers infielder made the disclosure in a statement provided to ESPN on Wednesday night, a day after his sudden termination was announced.
'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 specific content of Alvarez's message has not been disclosed. Tigers spokespeople did not respond to requests for comment from The Athletic, and the Daily Mail has also sought comment from club representatives. According to The Athletic, Alvarez was dismissed following a human resources investigation into alleged harassment claims by a female coworker. The Tigers stated that he was fired 'due to a violation of club policy,' but provided no further details.
The Toledo Mud Hens, one of the oldest minor league clubs, serve as the Tigers' Triple-A affiliate. Although the Mud Hens are a community-based non-profit organization, the Tigers are owned by Ilitch Sports and Entertainment (IS+E), which reserves the right to terminate employees automatically for violations of the company harassment policy, as reported by The Athletic.
In September, The Athletic revealed that at least eight men working for the Tigers had been accused of misconduct toward women since 2023. Six of those individuals either resigned, were fired, or failed to secure new contracts amid the allegations, with three departing between November 2024 and April 2025. One vice president was reportedly suspended over the past week. A male employee was quoted as saying: 'The dysfunction is woven into the culture. It feels like a bunch of guys who can do whatever they want. It's not a place women can feel safe.'
In April 2025, Tigers assistant general manager Sam Menzin resigned amid allegations that he sent unsolicited photographs of his genitals to two former club employees. A team spokesman told DailyMail.com: 'Upon being made aware of the allegations as to Sam Menzin's conduct, the club promptly completed an investigation. Before the club could terminate Mr. Menzin, he resigned. This type of behavior is contrary to our standards and has absolutely no place within our organization. We have a positive and safe culture for our colleagues and will continue to emphasize respect, inclusion, and professionalism.'
Menzin told The Athletic via text that he was seeking a career change and wanted to move home to New York to handle 'some family issues.' However, he did not respond to further calls and texts from the publication, and DailyMail.com's attempts to contact him were also unsuccessful. Two women who previously worked for the Tigers told The Athletic that Menzin sent them photographs of his genitals via Snapchat, a social media app that automatically deletes images once viewed. Both women said they received such images at several times since 2017. A third woman claimed she received a similar text from him around 2018 or 2019; she reportedly worked in baseball but not for the Tigers.
After speaking with more than 45 current and former employees and reviewing emails, HR documents, text messages, and court records, The Athletic was reportedly informed of a 'boys club' culture at IS+E where women were told not to wear specific skirts or pants because male colleagues found them distracting. Several women said men routinely commented on their appearance, including an executive who was recently suspended for allegedly discussing whether women were attractive enough to work in sports. One former female employee was quoted as saying: 'There's just been little things, things that it's just like, OK, well, it's because I'm a woman. And I had never felt that way working in sports. I've never felt that way or so belittled by people in a workplace until I worked for the Tigers.'
Some employees also alleged that certain company leaders were hostile toward older employees. The Tigers have been sued at least three times in federal court over the past three years by ex-employees accusing them of age discrimination. Alvarez's future in baseball remains uncertain. A native of Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico, he played parts of three MLB seasons with the Tigers and San Diego Padres. He later became an assistant coach at Southern California before managing the Tigers' Double-A affiliate, the Erie SeaWolves, and was promoted to the Triple-A Mud Hens in 2024. Alvarez has been replaced as Toledo's manager by former MLB journeyman and one-time Tigers manager Larry Parrish.
