If your team's payroll increased dramatically and its performance still hasn't improved, something could be seriously wrong. And because General Manager Josh Byrnes was not able to stop the bleeding for the San Diego Padres, he was sent to the chopping block.

Just minutes before the team was to face the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday, it released a statement carrying the bad news for Byrnes, an ESPN report said.

"This ownership group is committed to fielding a team that consistently competes for postseason play," president and CEO Mike Dee said in the statement. "Thus far this season, the results on the field have been mixed at best and clearly have not lived up to expectations."

"After a lengthy evaluation of every facet of our baseball operations, we have decided to make this change today," Dee added.

The team will begin a search for a new GM immediately, a CBS Sports report said, with the team looking "for someone who can define, direct and lead this franchise's baseball philosophy for years to come."

Senior Vice President for Baseball Operations Omar Minaya and Assistant General Managers AJ Hinch and Fred Uhlman Jr. will share Byrnes' role.

CBS Sports said Byrnes took over as GM of the Padres in October of 2011 when then-GM Jed Hoyer left. He had been VP of Baseball Operations for the Padres for a year. When he took the GM position, he was given a five-year contract, said ESPN.

The Padres entered Sunday with a 32-43 record, 12.5 games out in the NL West said CBS. The Padres went 76-86 in each of the previous two seasons, even after the Padres payroll increased from nearly $40 million to $89,881,696 on Opening Day, ESPN added.

This is the second time within four years that Byrnes has been relieved by a club in the National League West, the Bleacher Report said. He was Arizona Diamondbacks GM between 2005 and 2010, helping build Arizona's 2007 division winner.

The report cited a tweet by USA Today's Bob Nightengale, suggesting Kevin Towers, Diamondbacks GM, might be eyed for the void.

In the two seasons Byrnes was at the helm, the Padres did not make it to the postseason. That appears destined to continue in 2014, said Bleacher Report, with the team lacking firepower at the plate—it ranks last in Major League Baseball in runs scored in 2014.

It also ranks last in many major offensive categories, including hits, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Playoff appearances have been few for San Diego, it added, with only five postseason berths in its history.

Until San Diego brings better hitters to the fold, its prospects for a better performance are dim, the same report said. That should balance out the current team's strong pitching, ranking eighth in the MLB with a 3.47 ERA.

The Padres lost to the Dodgers, 2-1. That's a sign that whoever takes the helm has a lot to work on.