The Angels may look to a very familiar face for their next managerial hire. Longtime MLB superstar Albert Pujols is believed to be the leading choice for the job for Angels owner Arte Moreno, league sources told The Athletic.
Moreno, the ultimate decision maker for the Angels’ next managerial hire, holds Pujols in high regard. One source close to the former slugger suggested the decision may be Pujols’ to make.
The status of GM Perry Minasian remains unclear. While Minasian still has one year remaining on his contract, he is not expected to be the lead decision-maker in the hiring of the next manager.
Pujols, 45, spent a decade of his legendary 22-year career with the Angels, and is currently on their payroll. The slugger inked a 10-year, $10 million personal services contract as part of his $240-million deal in Anaheim before the 2012 season.
The personal services contract kicked in following his 2022 retirement, and Pujols has been contributing to the Angels organization in the years since.
He has been in uniform with the club for several days each of the last three springs. He also has worked with Angels prospects at their academy in his native Dominican Republic.
“Yeah. I think why not,” Pujols said in March when asked if he’d like to manage in the big leagues. “I think if the opportunity is right one day, I think I’ll be ready for that.”
Pujols has already been gaining managerial experience in the Dominican Winter League (LIDOM), guiding the Leones del Esogido to a championship in his first season at the helm. He’s also been tabbed to manage the Dominican national team at the World Baseball Classic next year. If he took a big-league job, it almost certainly would impact his ability to manage in the WBC.
On Tuesday, the Angels notified manager Ron Washington that they were declining to pick up the one-year option on his contract, ending his two-year tenure with the club. Interim manager Ray Montgomery — who filled in while Washington was out after receiving heart surgery — was informed he will not return as the Angels skipper.
Los Angeles will be hiring their sixth manager in the last nine seasons. The chair has been a merry-go-round since Mike Scioscia’s 19-year tenure ended in 2018. Since then, Brad Ausmus, Joe Maddon, Phil Nevin, Washington and Montgomery have been in charge, but none for more than two-plus seasons.
Pujols, who was unceremoniously released by the Angels in May 2021, seems to have put that behind him. He was highly complimentary of the team in spring, despite it coming off of a franchise-worst 63-99 season the year prior.
“I think the organization has done a great job this year to put a great product on the field,” Pujols said in March. “Not just in the big leagues. But getting guys that will go down to the minor leagues and be ready to help this ball-club hopefully win a championship.”
When asked how close he felt like the Angels were to putting a winning product on the field, he said, “I think they put (out) a winning product every year. The problem is injuries.”
Pujols clearly didn’t want to be critical of the organization at the time. And now, after a 72-90 season, and a decade without a winning record, the Angels might be turning to Pujols to right the ship.
(Top photo of Albert Pujols managing the Dominican Republic team at the Serie Del Caribe 2025 in February: Edgardo Milan/NurPhoto via AP)
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