Fired Rockies Manager Praises Paul DePodesta’s General Manager Hire

The Colorado Rockies made a move at general manager and their former manager had nothing but good things to say about the hire.

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Paul DePodesta’s latest hire with the Colorado Rockies falls in line with how baseball front offices work these days.

DePodesta, hired as the Rockies’ president of baseball operations in November, plucked Josh Byrnes from the Los Angeles Dodgers to be his general manager. He’s been a GM before, but with the Dodgers he oversaw both the scouting apparatus and the farm system and he’s a big reason why Los Angeles has won three World Series titles since 2014.

Byrnes arrives with impressive credentials and praise from someone that might be considered an unlikely source, given the circumstances — former Rockies manager Bud Black, who was fired in May.

Bud Black on Josh Byrnes

Bud Black on #Rockies hiring Josh Byrnes, whom Black worked with: “I have known Josh for 30 years and worked closely with him in Cleveland and San Diego. He has an immense passion for baseball and knows what it takes to win. Paired with Paul (DePodesta) they will be formidable!”

— Patrick Saunders (@psaundersdp) December 3, 2025

Black provided a quote to Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post on X (formerly Twitter). He was clearly happy with the move.

“I have known Josh for 30 years and worked closely with him in Cleveland and San Diego,” Black said. “He has an immense passion for baseball and knows what it takes to win. Paired with Paul (DePodesta) they will be formidable.”

Black and Byrnes have crossed paths, as Black noted. Back in 1995, Black was wrapping up his career as a Major League pitcher in Cleveland as Byrnes was starting his front office career as an intern, which led to him being named scouting director. Black retired after the season.

In 2007, the San Diego Padres hired Black to be their manager after a long coaching career with the Los Angeles Angels that led to a World Series ring in 2002. In 2010, he joined the Padres as senior vice president of baseball operations and was promoted to general manager in 2011. For four years the former intern was Black’s boss. Byrnes was caught up in an ownership transition but continued to put together quality teams despite low payroll.

He joined the Dodgers in 2014 as senior vice president of baseball operations. Black lasted one more year with the Padres before he was fired.

This will be Byrnes’ second stint with the Rockies. In 2000 he joined the franchise from Cleveland as the assistant general manager and was put in charge of the Rockies’ minor leagues and scouting department.

DePodesta and Byrnes are tasked with turning around a franchise that set a team record for most losses with 119 in 2025. It barely averted having the worst record in MLB history. As a starting point, DePodesta opted to hang onto interim manager Warren Schaeffer and make him the full-time manager, as he agreed to a two-year deal last month.

The pair will be at the winter meetings next week in Orlando.

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