Angels Facing Franchise-Altering Decisions as 2025 Season Ends
September 26, 2025 - Written by Bryan Whitfield
Photo Credit: @MLB - X
With another disappointing season in the books, the Angels now find themselves at a crossroads that could reshape the future of the franchise. With the 2025 season coming to a close, the Halos face speculation about whether to move on from Ron Washington, Ray Montgomery, or even GM Perry Minasian, who is under contract through 2026.
Ron Washington missed the majority of this season due to a bypass heart surgery. As far as we know, he is said to be feeling great but isn’t medically cleared to return until sometime in December. That being said, Wash is at the end of a two-year contract he signed with the Halos. He does, however, have a team option for 2026. The front office will have to decide whether or not they think Ron Washington will be able to medically perform the duties of a manager throughout a full season.
Ray Montgomery took over as interim manager for Ron Washington in mid-June. He has a 35-50 record as of September 25th, which is a .412 W%. In comparison, the Angels had a 36-38 record (a .486 W%) under Wash this season prior to Montgomery taking over. With the Angels wrapping up their 10th straight losing season, and their 11th straight postseason-less season, change might be in order.
The uncertainty doesn’t stop in the dugout as front office decisions could also loom large. "This is not a five-to-seven year rebuild. This is going to be a competitive club," Perry said during his introductory press conference after being hired in November of 2020. Since then, the Angels have a 357-450 record, which is a .442 W% across 807 total games. In comparison, former general manager Billy Eppler held a 332-376 record, which was a .469 W%. When he was let go at the end of the 2020 season, Angels president John Carpino stated, "It was a business decision. We're in the business of winning baseball games, and we just didn’t win enough over the five-year period." If the Angels hold Perry to those same standards, that would mean they could move on from him and possibly look for both a new manager and general manager this offseason.
Over the past couple of weeks, there has been speculation from some Baseball Insiders that the Angels may move on from both Ron Washington and Ray Montgomery. However, what options could be available? Just under 10 days ago, Jon Heyman of the NY Post named Darin Erstad, Torii Hunter, Albert Pujols, and former Rangers infielder Michael Young as names that could be options to replace Wash and Montgomery in 2026. Erstad, Hunter, and Pujols all have ties to the Angels. Erstad was on the 2002 team that won the World Series for the Halos. Both Torii Hunter and Albert Pujols currently hold roles with the Angels as assistants. Hunter is a special assistant to Perry Minasian and has joined the Angels in the dugout on a few recent road trips, including the final homestand of the season. Pujols, on the other hand, began his 10-year personal services contract before the 2023 season. He is currently set to manage the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic but has expressed a desire to manage as soon as possible. If Pujols were hired as the Angels (or any other team’s) manager, he would not be able to manage the DR in the World Baseball Classic.
An external managerial candidate could be Mark DeRosa, who managed Team USA to their 2nd-place finish in 2023. Other names include Skip Schumaker, who was let go by the Marlins last season. He currently holds a special assistant job with the Rangers and is likely in line to take over for Bruce Bochy once he retires. Schumaker, however, is a local kid, so you might be able to persuade him to come home to Orange County and manage the team. Outside of DeRosa and Schumaker, former manager Buck Showalter could also be an option, as he was a finalist prior to the Angels hiring both Joe Maddon and Ron Washington. Other names that could be in the running include former Cubs manager David Ross, and I wouldn’t fully rule out former Rockies manager Bud Black, who spent time as the Angels pitching coach during the 2002 World Series. I know some fans want Benji Gil to take the reins as Angels manager; however, I don’t believe he’s as flashy of a name as Arte would want.
Now, of course, this is Arte’s domain and whatever Arte wants, he’ll end up doing. My guess is they will keep Perry Minasian and let him finish out his contract, which runs through the 2026 season. I would think at this point Wash returning is pretty unlikely due to his medical status. They may opt to move on and look for a big name such as Torii Hunter or Albert Pujols to take over. One thing is certain: whatever direction Arte Moreno and the front office decide to take, the choices made in the coming weeks will define the trajectory of the Angels for years to come.
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