Albert Pujols No Longer in Consideration for Angels Managerial Job
October 20, 2025 - Written by Jacob Firmage
Photo Credit: @MLBTradeRumors - X
Per reports from Jon Heyman of the New York Post and Sam Blum of The Athletic, the Angels and Albert Pujols have cut off talks and will focus their attention elsewhere. Some of the reasons included as breaking points were the years and dollars. While Pujols will likely be a good manager elsewhere, possibly even San Diego as he will be interviewing there on Wednesday, it was maybe something everyone should have seen coming that these talks wouldn’t work out. Pujols long has been around winning teams and rumors were swirling of quite a coaching staff around him that he’d like to bring aboard. He would have also wanted a winning product on the field one could assume. Spending big on a coaching staff and putting a winning product on the field has not been the way Arte Moreno and company have operated.
Candidates now include the new frontrunners, Torii Hunter and Kurt Suzuki. Hunter would be more of a fan favorite while Suzuki is likely the favorite of General Manager, Perry Minasian. Torii himself may have demands of length of a contract along with a coaching staff. Between the two of them it is easier to see him pricing himself out of Arte Moreno’s spending for the new manager. Suzuki, who has been working closely with Perry over the last few years may have more of a relationship with current members of the coaching staff which could save Arte some money with some coaching positions being held over from the Washington era Angels. Former managers Brandon Hyde and Rocco Badelli along with former MLB catcher Nick Hundley have also been mentioned. Hundley seems destined to stick with the Rangers and it’s hard to see Hyde and Baldelli accepting not getting to build out their coaching staff as they see fit may make this a two-candidate race. In the lead and potentially being the imminent named manager is Kurt Suzuki.
Perry has said many times that this manager decision has to be the right one. With the near certain lockout in 2027 it is hard to see Arte making a front office change until after the 2027 season. In this scenario, we see the Angels stay in house, give Perry a full extension through the end of 2027, with an option for 2028. Kurt Suzuki is named manager on a two-year contract with an option for 2028 as well. It gives Perry one last chance, with his manager at the helm to right the ship. If not, the Angels with newly agreed upon CBA, open shop with plenty of payroll and a new front office for 2028.
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