Twins fire general manager Terry Ryan

Out of nowhere, the Minnesota Twins have fired general manager Terry Ryan. Longtime assistant GM Rob Antony will take over on an interim basis, and the club will likely complete a full hiring process this winter.

The firing is not for lack of cause. Ryan’s Twins have the worst record in the American League and, at 33-58, are on pace to have the worst record in club history, and the worst in franchise history since the Washington Senators finished 55-99 in 1957.

Here is the club’s statement:

Ryan has been with the Twins organization in one capacity or another since 1986, when he was hired from the Mets to work under Andy MacPhail. He became GM for the first time in 1994 and presided under the worst of former Carl Pohlad’s refusal to spend money.

Always praised for his organization’s scouting acumen, almost a decade of losing began to bear fruit in 2001, when the Twins finished with a winning record. Starting in 2002, the team he assembled from scratch won six division titles in nine years.

Burned out, Ryan resigned after the 2007 season just as the club was getting ready to trade ace Johan Santana, and returned after the club collapsed in 2011. Since he regained control, the Twins have gone 318-421.