Angels narrow field in GM search; position won’t be filled from within

Reporting from Arlington, Texas —  The three internal candidates who interviewed for the Angels general manager job -- assistant GMs Matt Klentak and Scott Servais and pro scouting director Hal Morris -- are no longer in the running for the position, according to sources familiar with the search but unauthorized to speak publicly about it.

Toronto assistant GM Tony LaCava, who interviewed for the job, has also been told he is no longer in the running.

New York Yankees assistant GM Billy Eppler, a finalist when Jerry Dipoto got the job in 2011, is believed to be the leading candidate, but Josh Byrnes, senior vice president of baseball operations with the Dodgers, is also on the shortlist of finalists. The Angels are expected to name their next GM this week.

There has been speculation that the Angels might hire both Byrnes and Eppler, with Byrnes filling the position of president or vice president in charge of baseball operations, but another person familiar with the process said the Angels plan to hire one executive — a GM — not two.

The Angels also interviewed Seattle director of player development Chris Gwynn, Cleveland vice president of player personnel Ross Atkins and Boston assistant GM Mike Hazen, but Hazen was recently named Red Sox GM under Dave Dombrowski, who was recently named president of baseball operations.