The Los Angeles Angels decided to part ways on Tuesday with manager Ron Washington. Washington missed a good chunk of the 2025 Major League Baseball season due to health problems. The former Angels manager says his health issues weren't the reason why he was fired.
The former Angels skipper says he was let go because he couldn't turn the club into a winner fast enough.
“I have to accept that,” Washington said, per The Athletic. “I can’t go back to argue with them to try and tell them different when they’ve made a decision. … We were starting to perform better.”
Washington told the outlet he wasn't given a chance Tuesday to speak with Angels owner Arte Moreno. The former manager had exceeded expectations in Los Angeles early in the season. In June, he had to step away to undergo heart surgery.
“You know, when you’re a competitor, and you’re in charge, none of that stuff comes into play,” Washington said. “Sometimes you’ve got to make chicken salad out of chicken s—.”
Ray Montgomery stepped in as interim manager, after Washington left. The Angels also let him go on Tuesday.
Angels are looking at a few candidates already to replace Ron Washington
The Angels have identified at least three candidates to replace Washington, per USA Today. Los Angeles is giving strong consideration to former player Albert Pujols. Torii Hunter and Michael Young are also on the shortlist, with more candidates expected to join that list.
It won't be an easy job for the next skipper. Los Angeles hasn't made the postseason since 2014. That is the longest active playoff drought of any MLB team. Washington, who had great success managing the Texas Rangers, was not able to end the drought.
“I think I had the team going in the right direction — I really did,” Washington said. “And it was just too bad that my health came into play. There’s nothing that I can do about that.
“It was my team. I think the team took on my personality. We were definitely showing that. In this business, this is the kind of stuff that happens to you. When everything goes not the way people wanted, you take the blame for it. And I’m OK.”
The Angels finished the 2025 season last in the American League West division. The club had a 72-90 record.
