Albert Pujols may look like the cleanest path for the Los Angeles Angels’ next manager, but the reported price tag and power grab attached to his candidacy could make the whole idea a nonstarter.
Pujols has already interviewed for the job once, he has made no secret of his interest in managing in MLB, and his connection to interim GM John Mozeliak makes the fit look obvious on paper. But Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that Pujols wants a $6 million salary and, "wants control of everything." That would appear to include authority over roster construction, plus the team’s approach on hitting and pitching.
Those are massive asks. A $6 million salary would place Pujols among the highest-paid managers in baseball, and handing that much control to a manager would be something close to unheard of in a modern game where front offices hold most of the leverage.
It’s possible this is just a negotiating play from Pujols and his camp, a way of signaling that he won’t come cheaply and won’t be reduced to a front-office figurehead. If that’s the case, fine. But if he’s truly dug in on both demands, then the request is both unrealistic and hard to take seriously.
Pujols is also not a standard managerial candidate. Stars with his profile usually don’t head back to the dugout after their playing careers end, and that alone could give his salary some extra lift if the Angels believe his name would bring fans into the park.
Even so, there’s a real question whether Mozeliak would want to bring in someone with that kind of stature and stubbornness. He’s trying to reset things after years of disappointment, and the last thing he may want is a power struggle with a headstrong manager who can credibly believe he already knows how the game should be run after a Hall of Fame career.
Mozeliak has also recently spoken highly of current manager Kurt Suzuki, and he has already made changes by removing Mike Maddux as pitching coach and replacing him with someone he knows. That raises the obvious question: would Pujols be just as willing to accept personnel changes Mozeliak wants to make?
If Pujols is prepared to soften those reported demands and work as a true partner, a deal could still happen. If not, the Angels may need to look elsewhere or simply stay with Suzuki.
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For Angels fans, Wade is another reminder of how important the utility role can be over the grind of a long season, even if it rarely brings much spotlight. In his retirement statement, he thanked the clubs and teammates he played with along the way, leaving behind a career that moved quickly, adapted often and now ends with a simple farewell to the majors. [Read more 🡒]
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Angels Enter Offseason With Two Massive Questions Under New Ownership
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Mozeliak also made clear he would prefer to keep Kurt Suzuki in the dugout despite a 100-loss season, a choice that will be watched closely as the Angels try to reset without tearing everything down. There are roster questions, too, including a planned change for Mike Trout that would send him to left field. For a team trying to stabilize under new leadership, the biggest issue may be figuring out who is actually making those calls before the offseason gets moving in earnest. [Read more 🡒]