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Giants GM Scott Harris hired by Detroit Tigers to oversee baseball operations

SAN FRANCISCO — Scott Harris was hired Monday as the Detroit Tigers' president of baseball operations, leaving the San Francisco Giants after three years as general manager.

The 36-year-old Harris takes over for Tigers general manager Al Avila, who was fired on Aug. 10. The Tigers went 404-573 under Avila, who failed to take the team to the postseason during seven seasons overseeing baseball operations.

Detroit started the season with high expectations but entered Monday night's game against Baltimore last in the AL Central at 55-91.

"Scott's vision for how to construct a baseball organization to compete and win in the modern game is impressive," Tigers CEO Christopher Ilitch said in a statement.

Harris played a major role in fortifying San Francisco's roster over the last three seasons, where he worked under president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi. The Giants went 107-55 in 2021 and won the NL West, the best regular-season record in franchise history. The Giants were 205-163 during Harris' three seasons in San Francisco.

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San Francisco Giants' new general manager Scott Harris is seen during a news conference in the Nick Peters Media Interview Room at Oracle Park on Monday, November 11, 2019 in San Francisco. Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images

"What he wants for the future of our team and organization is really inspiring and is something I know our fans will embrace as much as I do," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said in a statement. "His vision and expectation of winning makes it easy to want to work tirelessly for him. We have a lot of work to do and today is a great step in the right direction on that path."

A native of Redwood City, Harris is a 2009 graduate of UCLA, studied at Columbia Business School and received a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management in 2015.

Harris worked for the Washington Nationals in 2008, the Cincinnati Reds in 2010 and the commissioner's office from 2010-12 as coordinator of major league operations.

He joined the Chicago Cubs in 2012 as director of baseball operations and was promoted to assistant general manager in 2018. Harris was hired by the Giants in November 2019.

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