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SAN DIEGO — Speculation that Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette could be leaving for Toronto was quelled Tuesday after a report that Blue Jays president and chief executive officer Paul Beeston would remain in his current position.
Duquette emerged Sunday as a possible replacement for Beeston, sparking uncertainty at the top of the Orioles' baseball operations department just as the club arrived in San Diego for baseball's annual winter meetings.
Now, the Blue Jays are expected to announce that Beeston will stay in his post for at least next season, according to a Fox Sports report.
That appears to kill the rumor mill that Duquette will head to Toronto to become the team's top executive, a significant promotion from his current role. He would have been in charge of all baseball and business aspects for the Blue Jays.
Duquette is under contract with the Orioles through the 2018 season -- he signed an extension after his first season in Baltimore -- and managing partner Peter G. Angelos made it clear that he wanted and expected Duquette to honor the length of his contract.
Duquette emphasized that he was focusing on building the Orioles for next year, but he fell just short of publicly guaranteeing that he was staying in Baltimore.