The fired manager of the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens has revealed he was dismissed by the team’s parent club over an ‘inappropriate’ text message to a female colleague.
Former Tigers infielder Gabe Alvarez made the revelation in a statement provided to ESPN on Wednesday night a day after he was mysteriously dismissed as manager of Detroit’s Triple-A affiliate.
‘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.’
Alvarez’s specific message has not been revealed and Tigers spokespeople did not respond to The Athletic’s request for comment. The Daily Mail has also sought comment from club spokespeople.
According to The Athletic, Alvarez was dismissed after a human resources investigation into alleged harassment claims by a female coworker. The Tigers said he was fired ‘due to a violation of club policy,’ but did not offer any further details.
Gabe Alvarez is seen in March of 1999, when he was a budding infielder with Detroit
One of the oldest minor league clubs, the Toledo Mud Hens are 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, which reserves the right to dismiss employees automatically for violations of the company harassment policy, according to The Athletic.
In September, The Athletic revealed that at least eight men working for the Tigers had been accused of misconduct towards women since 2023. Six of the men are said to have either resigned, been fired or failed to earn new contracts amid the allegations, with three departing in a six-month period which began in November of 2024. One vice president was reportedly suspended over the past week.
One 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.’
Back in April of 2025, Tigers assistant general manager Sam Menzin resigned amid allegations he sent unsolicited photographs of his genitals to two former club employees.
‘Upon being made aware of the allegations as to Sam Menzin’s conduct, the club promptly completed an investigation,’ a team spokesman told DailyMail.com in a statement at the time.
Mascot Muddonna entertains fans in between innings at Fifth Third Field during a recent game
‘Before the club could terminate Mr. Menzin, he resigned,’ the statement continued. ‘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 message 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 calls and texts from the publication, while DailyMail.com’s attempts to contact him were also unsuccessful.
Two women who previously worked for the Tigers told The Athletic that he sent them photographs of his genitals via Snapchat, a social media app that automatically deletes images once they are viewed.
Both women said they received lewd photographs from Menzin at several times since 2017. Meanwhile, a third woman claimed she received a similar text message from him around 2018 or 2019. The third woman reportedly worked in baseball, but not for the Tigers.
After speaking with more than 45 current and former employees, and reviewing emails, human resources documents, text messages and court records, The Athletic was allegedly 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.
A number of 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.
‘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,’ one former female employee is quoted as saying.
Some employees also alleged that certain company leaders were hostile towards older employees. The Tigers were sued at least three times in federal court over the past three years by ex-employees who accused them of age discrimination.
Sam Menzin, a Detroit Tigers assistant general manager, resigned in April of 2024 amid allegations he sent unsolicited photographs of his genitals to two former club employees
Alvarez’s future in baseball remains an obvious mystery.
A native of Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico, the 52-year-old Alvarez played parts of three MLB seasons with the Tigers and San Diego Padres.
He later became an assistant coach at Southern Cal before taking a job as the manager of the Tigers’ Double-A affiliate, the Erie SeaWolves. He was later promoted to the Triple-A Mud Hens in 2024.
Alvarez was replaced as Toledo’s manager by former MLB journeyman and one-time Tigers manager, Larry Parrish.
