Tigers GM Avila announces Ausmus will return as manager

Brad Ausmus will worry about the future when it’s in the past, he said.

He said it before Friday night’s series opener against the Twins, when asked about his job status for next season, which has been swirling in the wind for the past two weeks.

Saturday, his future became more clear: He will return as Tigers manager next season.

“After almost two months of watching this team play, evaluating our staff and manager, a lot of discussion and my staff, I’ve concluded and decided that Brad Ausmus should be our manager going into 2016,” general manager Al Avila said Saturday.

The Free Press had previously reported on Sept. 11 that Ausmus would not be brought back for the final season of his three-year contract, according to a person with knowledge of the front office’s plans. In response to that report, Avila said that all positions within the organization were still under evaluation.

His evaluation of Ausmus was made based on the progress of the team’s young core of players, and after talking to a number of players, the respect that Ausmus has earned among the veterans of the team.

“I believe that Brad has the talent and the know-how to lead and mentor the young players on this team and they’ve showed great improvement,” Avila said. “He also has the respect of the veteran players on this team. That combination, to me, tells me that Brad is the right man to lead the team into next year.”

Ausmus is 162-153 in two seasons as Tigers manager.

In 2014, he led the team to a fourth consecutive American League Central championship, but this season the team sits in last place in the division.

Avila said that longtime owner Mike Ilitch put the decision in his hands.

“I called him and I said, ‘Mr. Ilitch, I’m going to keep Brad Ausmus’ and he said, ‘God bless you, let’s move forward,’ ” Avila said.

“I was relieved and excited,” Ausmus said.

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