Buzz around the Angels’ front office is getting louder, and Randy Flores has become a name to watch.
When John Mozeliak was named the Los Angeles Angels interim general manager earlier this summer, it immediately sparked talk that he might pull people from the Cardinals’ front office with him. Now, that possibility is starting to look a lot more real, with Flores emerging as a strong candidate to join him in Anaheim.
Katie Woo of The Athletic reported on an interview with Mozeliak in which he is beginning to set up the idea of staying with the Angels beyond the temporary role. However that job eventually gets labeled, Mozeliak plans to hire a general manager, and Flores is widely expected to be in the mix for that position.
That sense is not limited to one report. Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat has said he has heard the same thing from sources, and Derrick Goold of the St.
Louis Post-Dispatch has previously mentioned the possibility as well. According to sources who have spoken on the matter, no official conversations have happened yet, but Flores is still viewed as a likely candidate if Mozeliak starts filling out his staff.
There’s also a natural fit from the Angels’ side. Reporters tied to the team have pointed to Flores as a target because he is from Southern California and went to USC.
For the Cardinals, losing him would sting.
Chaim Bloom, who replaced Mozeliak in September 2024, has brought in fresh voices to reshape the organization, but he has also leaned on and promoted people already in the system, including Flores. This offseason, Flores took on broader scouting duties and oversaw all scouting departments, while Zach Mortimer was moved up to director of amateur scouting. Flores still remains heavily involved in that work, and a Cardinals video posted yesterday on the scouting and draft process underscored just how much of a collective operation it is - while also showing the kind of organizational leader Flores has become.
As one post put it: "This video just pours more gas on the Randy is going to do a great job leading a front office someday vibe."
The Cardinals’ scouting and draft group appears to be in solid shape, and Mortimer’s first draft in charge has drawn strong results. Even so, Flores has been a major asset in the front office for years, and his departure would be a real loss.
For now, it’s all speculation. But if Flores really is a top choice for another club’s front office, that says plenty about the strength of the Cardinals’ current leadership group. Fellow assistant general manager Rob Cerfolio is another name people around baseball see as someone who could lead baseball operations somewhere down the line, and Bloom has clearly built a front office full of people others want to hire.
In Other News...
Michael McGreevy Could Ease A Cardinals Problem Fans Know Too Well
Michael McGreevy has already shown one of the more unusual traits a Cardinals pitcher can bring to the mound, and it has nothing to do with velocity or swing-and-miss stuff. Across his career at the major league, minor league and college levels, he has done an excellent job keeping runners from taking the extra base, a quality that analyst Paul Hembekides recently singled out on a podcast as a rare and valuable skill.
For St. Louis, that matters because the running game has been a familiar headache for plenty of fans, and it can put catcher Ivan Herrera in a tough spot behind the plate. If McGreevy keeps making opponents think twice before trying to run, he could quietly give the Cardinals a different kind of edge whenever he takes the ball, even if the bigger payoff will take some time to show itself. [Read more 🡒]
Joshua Bez Gives Cardinals A Jolt They Desperately Needed
Joshua Bez arrived in the majors with the kind of first impression that can change the mood around a clubhouse in a hurry. The Cardinals outfield prospect was called up after a strong season at Triple-A Memphis, where he hit 34 home runs in 103 games, and he wasted no time showing why the organization has been so high on him.
Bez homered three times in his first three major league at-bats, including a two-run shot off Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd and two more solo blasts. For a Cardinals team looking for a spark, it was the sort of debut that immediately gets everyone talking about what comes next, even if the bigger question around his role is still waiting to be answered. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Are Finally Getting A Power Bat Fans Need To See
A rough night at the plate in Chicago left the Cardinals looking for a jolt, and they are set to get one with Joshua Baez arriving for his major league debut today. St. Louis was blanked by Clay Holmes and the Cubs in a 3-0 loss, a game that underscored how much the lineup could use another source of impact. Baez brings a different kind of profile than the group the Cardinals have run out there lately, and his first appearance gives the club and its fans something new to watch right away.
The timing matters because the Cardinals are trying to keep pace while also sorting out where the offense can find more punch. Baez got here after a big run in the minors, and the organization clearly believes his bat is ready for a look at the highest level. For a team that just struggled to generate anything against one of its biggest rivals, the debut adds a little intrigue and a possible spark at a moment when St. Louis could use both. [Read more 🡒]