After 13 years as Detroit Tigers President/General Manager, Dave Dombrowski is released.

Yahoo Sports reports that Dombrowski was released from his contract Tuesday by team ownership. In a shocking move, the Tigers promoted Al Avila as the new President/General Manager. Al Avila is the father of current Tigers catcher Alex Avila.

"I've decided to release Dave from his contract in order to afford him the time to pursue other career opportunities. I feel this is the right time for the Tigers to move forward under new leadership," owner Mike Illitch said in a statement.

Dombrowski joined the Tigers in 2002 and led them to success in recent years. He took a team that had lost a record 119 games in 2003 in the American League to a team that has won four straight American League Central Division titles. During his reign, the Tigers won the American League pennant twice in 2006 and 2011, where they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals (2006) and San Francisco Giants (2011.)

Perhaps Dombrowski's most memorable move in Detroit happened in the winter of 2007. During the winter meetings, Dombrowski traded pitchers Dallas Trahern, Burke Badenhop, Andrew Miller and Frankie De La Cruz, centerfielder Cameron Maybin, and catcher Mike Rabelo to the then-known Florida Marlins for third baseman Miguel Cabrera and pitcher Dontrelle Wills.

Cabrera went on to become one of the best players in the game and leading the Tigers to the 2011 World Series. He made history when he became the first American League player since Carl Yastrzemski (1967) to win the coveted Triple Crown in 2012.

According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, both parties mutually agreed to the terms of the release. There have been rumors that Dombrowski would be a perfect fit with the Toronto Blue Jays as president. Current Blue Jays President Paul Beeston announced earlier this year that he plans to retire at the end of the season.