The Los Angeles Angels are one of many teams looking for a new manager this offseason. Los Angeles moved on from Ron Washington after another sub-.500 season in the American League. As the team searches for his replacement, the fit with Mike Trout and Jorge Soler is a big piece of the puzzle. One of the lead candidates is former Major League Baseball star Albert Pujols.
Pujols played a role in the Angels' coaching staff back when Shohei Ohtani played in Los Angeles. The longtime designated hitter worked with the two-time MVP and Trout on their offensive game. The fact that he is familiar with the franchise and is one of the most respected former players ever gives him a good case. He leads the race, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.
“Sources: Albert Pujols believed to be Angels owner Arte Moreno’s leading choice as next manager,” Rosenthal said.
As a team, the Angels are in an interesting spot. Even though Los Angeles finished below .500, there was a stretch of the season where Trout and Co. were a dark horse contender. Unfortunately, Washington could not maintain his squad's momentum down the stretch of the regular season. The Angels did not let him go because of his performance, but they needed a change.
Soler was a major addition for Los Angeles in the offseason. He and Trout could not string together as many wins as fans wanted because of health and poor pitching. However, they showed that they could be dominant. At this point, the Angels want their next manager to be a leader who can get the best out of both of them, as well as the other young talent on Los Angeles' roster.
Pujols was on the Angels' short list of candidates early in their search. Now, it looks like he has a good chance to lead Los Angeles into the 2026 season.
