When Andrew Friedman was hired to take over as the Dodgers President of Baseball Operations, speculation immediately began that he might try and bring Joe Maddon with him to take over as manager. Both sides immediately tried to squash those rumors with strong public denials, a selection of which appear below.

Andrew Friedman:

“I have a tremendous personal relationship with Joe. He’s a very good friend of mine and have a really good professional relationship as well,” Friedman said after his introductory news conference in Los Angeles. “That being said, Joe is now working with Matt Silverman and the baseball operation people (with the Rays), and I’m excited about working with Donnie.

“I’m going into it with the mind-set we’re going to work together for a long time. I had one manager in the 10 years I’ve been doing this and am looking forward to working with Donnie for a long time.”

Joe Maddon:

“I’m a Ray, I’ve said it all along, I want to continue to be one,” Maddon said. “‘I still believe … it’s the best place in all of baseball to work…

Andrew Friedman, when asked whether Don Mattingly will manage the Dodgers in 2015:

“Definitely.”

And then today, we get this:

Sources: Manager Joe Maddon has exercised an opt-out clause in his contract and is leaving the Tampa Bay Rays immediately.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) October 24, 2014

Things happen. I have no problem believing that everyone was being honest a week ago, and fully expected Maddon to sign an extension to stay with the Rays. Clearly, though, something changed, and now Maddon is a free agent. And if he’s not managing the Dodgers on Opening Day, it will be a pretty big upset.