The Angels moved on from Kurt Suzuki on Wednesday, and that decision may have done more than end a short managerial run. It may have cracked the door open for Albert Pujols.
Suzuki was officially let go on Oct. 21 after guiding Los Angeles to a franchise-worst 62-100 record in 2026. He had signed a one-year deal the prior winter. On paper, the Angels declined his 2027 contract option, though they offered him the chance to stay with the club next season as a special assistant, the same job he held for three years before taking over in the dugout.
Now the focus shifts quickly to interim general manager John Mozeliak and the search for the next manager. One candidate stands out because of both his history with Mozeliak and his familiarity with the Angels: Pujols.
Pujols interviewed for the Angels’ job a year ago, but he was not willing to take a one-year contract from then-GM Perry Minasian. He also interviewed for the Padres’ opening, which eventually went to Craig Stammen.
He would not be stepping into the role cold. Since retiring in 2022, Pujols has built up managerial experience in the Dominican Republic, and he already knows the Angels’ current group well. That matters even more with a lockout expected to loom.
If team personnel are blocked from contacting 40-man roster players starting Dec. 1 as expected, Los Angeles could have a real incentive to hire someone who already knows the roster and the organization.
Pujols has deep roots with the Angels, having played for them from 2012 to 2021. He also has a personal services contract with owner Arte Moreno.
Mozeliak, meanwhile, has long standing ties of his own to Pujols from their shared Cardinals background. Pujols played for St.
Louis from 2001 to 2011 and again in 2022, while Mozeliak worked for the Cardinals from 1995 to 2005, including his final 18 seasons as general manager there.
Moreno is also on his way out, with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment expected to officially take over control of the team as previously announced. That gives the Angels’ timing some logic. Once the franchise knows who will have the final say for the long haul in Anaheim - Mozeliak still carries the interim tag - the next move at manager should follow naturally.
Mozeliak may already know exactly who he wants.
In Other News...
Angels Rebuild Suddenly Hinges On One Difficult Rotation Decision
The Angels rebuild may be heading toward a more aggressive phase next year, with new ownership expected to give the front office more resources to work with. That matters especially on the pitching side, where the organization has some younger arms it can develop, but also enough uncertainty that the rotation could still be reshaped quickly if the right veteran fits come along.
Reid Detmers and rookie Walbert Urena are part of the young core making the case for bigger roles, yet the Angels still have to decide how much of the staff should be handed to pitchers in that category versus more established names. Yusei Kikuchi is one option to keep in the fold, while Sonny Gray is among the veteran starters who could factor into the conversation if the club decides to spend on stability rather than let the kids carry too much too soon. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Coaching Reset Begins After A Collapse Fans Wont Forget
The Angels offseason reset is already underway after a year that left little room for debate. Following a 62-100 finish, the club declined manager Kurt Suzukis contract option after the 2026 season, closing the book on a one-year run that ended with the franchises first 100-loss season and a postseason drought now stretched to 12 years.
The announcement came through the teams official social media, with the organization saying it will work alongside incoming ownership to rebuild the dugout and coaching staff. Suzukis exit is only the first step in what figures to be a broader overhaul, and the next move at manager will say plenty about how aggressively the Angels intend to turn the page. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Dugout Reset Just Put One Bigger Decision In Focus
The Angels are making another clean break in their dugout, declining Kurt Suzukis 2027 option after just one season and signaling that the organization wants a fresh start on the field as well as in the front office. Interim general manager John Mozeliak said Suzuki has been offered a special assistant role within the club, a move that keeps him around the organization even as the search begins for a new manager and coaching staff.
It is the latest sign of how much turnover is ahead in Anaheim after the recent ownership and front office changes, and it puts the next managerial hire squarely in the spotlight. Among the questions now hanging over the process is whether the Angels will lean on an in-house option as they sort through who should guide the next phase of the reset. [Read more 🡒]