Oakland assistant general manager Paul DePodesta is expected to be named the new GM of the Dodgers this weekend, ESPN's Peter Gammons reports.
DePodesta has been a top assistant to GM Billy Beane since joining the A's in November 1998, and this would be his sixth season with the club. He earned an economics degree from Harvard.
The Los Angeles Times reported in Thursday editions that officials in the commissioner's office confirm that DePodesta is the front-runner for the job. However, the Times also reported that the Dodgers deny he has been chosen and that the team is still considering other candidates.
The 31-year-old DePodesta reportedly met late last week in Los Angeles with new Dodgers owner Frank McCourt to discuss replacing Dan Evans, who is in the final year of a three-year contract as the Dodgers' GM.
After the $430 million sale of the team by News Corp. to McCourt, a Boston real estate developer, was approved by baseball owners Jan. 29, McCourt said Evans was merely a candidate for the job and that he would be conducting other interviews. The sale of the Dodgers to McCourt is scheduled to close Thursday.
On Tuesday, McCourt met in Boston with Ruben Amaro Jr., the assistant general manager for the Phillies, about the job.
Amaro joined the Phillies' front office after the 1998 season -- his last year as a player.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.