DARREN YAMASHITA / OCT. 3, 2022
Los Angeles Angels catcher Kurt Suzuki signs an autograph before the game against the Oakland Athletics at RingCentral Coliseum in 2022. The Baldwin High alumnus is reported to be hired as the next manager of the Angels.
The Los Angeles Angels are hiring Kurt Suzuki as their next manager, multiple media outlets reported Tuesday.
Suzuki, 42, has spent the past three seasons as a special assistant to Los Angeles general manager Perry Minasian.
The Baldwin High graduate from Maui spent the final two seasons of his 16-year MLB playing career as a catcher with the Angels. He retired after the 2022 season.
Future Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Albert Pujols reportedly met with Minasian in St. Louis earlier this month for “preliminary discussions,” but the two sides could not come to an agreement on length or amount of a potential contract, according to The Athletic.
The New York Post reported that talks broke down due to differences regarding “coaches, resources, and compensation.”
Los Angeles declined the option on former manager Ron Washington’s contract for 2026. The team also said it was beginning the process of hiring a new manager “immediately,” marking the end of Ray Montgomery’s interim stint.
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The Angels (72-90) finished last in the American League West for the second straight season, 18 games behind the division champion Seattle Mariners.
Suzuki batted .255 with 143 homers and 730 RBIs in 1,635 career games. Suzuki has the most games played, at-bats, hits, home runs and RBIs of any major leaguer born in Hawaii. He won a World Series ring playing for the Washington Nationals in 2019.
He played collegiately at Cal State Fullerton, just 6 miles north of Angel Stadium in Anaheim.