The Angels are back in the market for a manager after moving on from Kurt Suzuki, and the search is already taking shape around a handful of familiar and well-regarded names.
Suzuki’s run in Anaheim lasted only one season, and it ended with a 62-100 record - the first 100-loss season in franchise history. The club also stretched its postseason drought to 12 straight years, a jarring stretch that leaves plenty on the plate for the next manager as the organization heads into a new era under incoming owner Stan Kroenke.
Albert Pujols is one of the most obvious possibilities. His ties to the Angels run deep: he played in Anaheim from 2012 through 2021 and still has a personal services contract with the team.
He also interviewed for the job last year before the Angels chose Suzuki. Since his playing career ended, Pujols has picked up managerial experience in the Dominican Republic, where he guided Leones del Escogido to a league championship and a Caribbean Series title.
Mike Shildt is another name that fits the profile if the Angels want someone who has already handled the pressure of managing in the majors. He has run both the St.
Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres, and he currently serves as a coordinator of instruction with the Baltimore Orioles. That kind of background could appeal to a club that needs help developing younger players while it reshapes the roster.
Torii Hunter would bring a different kind of value. He remains tied to the Angels as a special assistant and spent five seasons with the franchise during its most successful recent stretch.
The five-time All-Star has the kind of presence that can resonate in a clubhouse, but he, like Pujols, has never managed in the majors. That leaves the Angels to weigh familiarity and leadership against the risk of again going with a first-time MLB manager after Suzuki’s tough year.
Ryan Flaherty also belongs on the list. He’s seen as a younger coach with major league staff experience, having worked as the Padres’ bench coach before taking the same role with the Chicago Cubs in 2024. He has also popped up in past managerial searches, including interviews with Baltimore and reported finalist status in Minnesota.
Rocco Baldelli gives the Angels another veteran option to consider. He managed the Minnesota Twins from 2019 through 2025 and earned American League Manager of the Year honors in 2019. After his time in Minnesota, he spent the 2026 season in an advisory role with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and that Southern California connection could help make him a logical fit for the opening.
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One name already drawing attention is Randy Flores, the former pitcher who has worked his way into executive circles through scouting and analytics. Flores has spent years alongside Mozeliak and was groomed for leadership within the Cardinals structure, making him a familiar face in a search that could lean heavily on existing relationships and front-office continuity even as the Angels prepare for a new direction. [Read more 🡒]