Rays manager opts out of contract, leaves team

Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon has exercised an opt-out clause in his contract and is leaving the team immediately.

Tampa Bay was 77-85 this season. It was the first year since 2009 that the Rays did not win 90 games.

Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg issued a statement Friday regarding Maddon’s contract situation.

“Joe Maddon has exercised an opt-out in his current contract, a contract which was not scheduled to expire until after the 2015 season,” Sternberg said. “We tried diligently and aggressively to sign Joe to a third contract extension prior to his decision.

“As of yesterday afternoon, Joe enabled himself to explore opportunities throughout Major League Baseball. He will not be managing the Rays in 2015. Joe has been our manager for nine seasons, and the foundation of success laid during his tenure endures. We thank him for all that he’s meant to the organization.”

Maddon is 781-729 in 11 seasons as a major league manager. He was 754-705 in nine years with Tampa Bay and managed parts of two other seasons with the Angels. He is a two-time American League manager of the year, including in 2008, when the Rays won the American League pennant.

Earlier this month the Los Angeles Dodgers hired former Rays executive Andrew Friedman as their new president of baseball operations with the hope that he can lead the postseason success.

Friedman said last week that Don Mattingly will manage the Dodgers next season — “definitely.”

Friedman addressed a number of issues at his introductory news conference last Friday at Dodger Stadium. Mattingly’s future topped the list.

“We’re very aligned on a lot of things philosophically and have thoroughly enjoyed those conversations,” Friedman said. “We’re going to get together next week and I’ll look forward to building that relationship.”

Friedman said he already has had two conversations with the Dodgers skipper.

There had been reports that Friedman might try to bring longtime friend Maddon to Southern California to replace Mattingly. Friedman quickly quashed that rumor.

“I have a tremendous personal relationship with Joe. He’s a friend of mine. We have a really good professional relationship as well,” Friedman told the Los Angeles Times last week. “That being said, Joe is now working with (Rays President) Matt Silverman and baseball operations people there. I’m excited about working with Donnie.

“I’m going into it with the mind-set that we’re going to work together for a long time. … I’m looking forward to working with Donnie for a long time.”

Maddon reportedly had an opt-out clause with Friedman’s departure.

Maddon, who keeps an off-season home in Long Beach, said last week that he expected to discuss a contract extension with the Rays this winter.

“I want to continue to be a Ray, absolutely,” Maddon said. “They have to want me to be a Ray too.”

Maddon said he and his wife recently moved into a Tampa home once owned by former USC and Tampa Bay Buccaneers Coach John McKay.

“I’m really embedded here pretty well,” he said. “The roots are pretty strong. We have a great infrastructure here. We have a great operation. We have great people.

“There’s so much to like. There’s only one negative. That’s the ballpark. It’s a big negative. But that’s about it.”