The Dodgers announced a series of promotions within the team’s front office, including the elevation of Brandon Gomes to the new title of Vice President and Assistant General Manager. Gomes’ old role, the Dodgers’ director of player development, will now be filled by assistant farm director Will Rhymes. The director of baseball operations position will be filled by Alex Slater, while Duncan Webb becomes director of baseball resources.
Gomes’ promotion represents the latest step in his rather quick shift from player to prominent front office executive. Gomes was a member of the Rays’ bullpen from 2011-15, and also pitched for the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate in 2016 before finally hanging up his glove. Rhymes also played for the Rays in 2012, giving Andrew Friedman (the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations and formerly head of Tampa Bay’s front office) a pair of former players-turned-colleagues working under him in the Los Angeles baseball pyramid.
Gomes joins Jeffrey Kingston in the assistant general manager role, though the Dodgers still haven’t hired an official GM since Farhan Zaidi left to take over the Giants’ baseball ops department last fall. At the time of Zaidi’s departure, reports indicated that Zaidi’s duties would be split between Gomes, Slater, and senior VP of baseball operations Josh Byrnes. Since Friedman runs baseball operations anyway, it’s possible L.A. might not appoint a new general manager whatsoever.
