Dan Duquette is currently the general manager of the Baltimore Orioles, but he could be looking at a promotion from another team.
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Nationals Reportedly Targeting Duquette
Tuesday, April 12
According to Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press, the Washington Nationals are “pursuing” Duquette to be their team president.
However, per Roch Kubatko of MASN, Duquette said, “I don’t know anything about this, nor has anyone contacted me [about a job with the Nationals].”
Per Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post, a Nationals spokesman said the team is “not in discussions with [Duquette], nor are we in the market for a team president.”
Duquette has been with the Orioles since November 2011, and he helped lead the franchise to its first playoff appearance in 15 years during the 2012 season and its first division title in 17 years during the 2014 season.
The 57-year-old Duquette, who was named the Sporting News Executive of the Year in 2014, has previously flirted with other teams. The Toronto Blue Jays were trying to negotiate a deal with the Orioles for Duquette last January that fell through because the Blue Jays didn’t want to meet Baltimore’s demands.
The Orioles hold all the cards in any scenario with Duquette, as the Blue Jays found out last year. Duquette signed an extension with Baltimore before the 2013 season that has him under contract through 2018.
The Nationals don’t currently have a team president, though Mike Rizzo serves as their general manager and president of baseball operations. He’s in control of building the roster as he sees fit, with ownership giving him the money to do so.
Duquette has established himself as one of the best executives in baseball during his latest stint with the Orioles. It’s no surprise he’s commanding so much attention, but the Orioles don’t seem inclined to let him walk away even if the Nationals have serious interest.
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