After two consecutive seasons with at least 90 losses, the Los Angeles Angels will have a new manager in 2026, the club confirmed Tuesday.
The Anaheim-based franchise has parted ways with manager Ron Washington, who was hired prior to the 2024 season after the Angels declined an option to extend the contract of Phil Nevin. The club chose not to pick up an option for 2026.
Whomever the Angels hire for next season will be their fifth full-time manager since longtime skipper Mike Scioscia was fired in 2018.
Ray Montgomery, who served as interim manager after Ron Washington left the team in June with health concerns, will not be the new manager, although it’s not clear if he’ll remain in the dugout as an assistant.
Washington later revealed that he had undergone a quadruple bypass heart surgery during his absence.
There is no word on whether general manager Perry Minasian, who took over in 2020, will retain his position.
Now, a new manager will have to navigate a roster with promising young talent like Zach Neto and Logan O’Hoppe, an aging superstar in Mike Trout and a pitching rotation that has been in flux for several years.
The Angels have not posted a season with a record over .500 since 2015.
No official information regarding potential candidates for the new job has been released, although the team may not have to look far. Former Angels outfielder Toiri Hunter, who is currently a special assistant to Minasian, has expressed interest in managing and could be under consideration, especially if Minasian keeps his job as GM.
Former Angels star Albert Pujols, regarded as one of baseball’s all-time greatest hitters, has been working with the club as a special assistant since his retirement in 2022. In addition to those duties, he has managed in the Dominican Professional Baseball League and is signed on to serve as manager for the Dominican Republic at the World Baseball Classic next spring.