The Los Angeles Angels have fired general manager Perry Minasian after five-plus seasons of futility, the club announced Friday evening.
Longtime St. Louis Cardinals executive John Mozeliak was named the interim general manager, and “will oversee the day-to-day baseball operations for the Angels while refining a baseball operations strategy and assisting the organization in its search for a new General Manager,” a news release announcing the moves stated.
Minasian, who was hired after the 2020 season, compiled a 392-500 record during a tenure defined by drama, late-season collapses and chaotic roster turnover. He oversaw five managers, and most recently hired current manager Kurt Suzuki. Minasian said at the time their futures were “tied in” with one another.
Minasian’s time as GM was littered with failed contracts, beginning with the five-year, $26 million deal given to David Fletcher before the 2021 season. He also gave a three-year, $33 million contract to the chronically injured Robert Stephenson in 2024. And most recently, a host of free-agent relievers have failed to pan out in 2026.
In Friday night’s news release, the Angels stated new team president Molly Jolly was responsible for the moves. When it comes to the Angels, however, any such decision would need the authorization of owner Arte Moreno.
In February, Moreno told The Orange County Register, “I really like Perry. At the end of the day, you have to start adding up wins and losses.”
The team declined to make Jolly available for questions Friday and announced a news conference to introduce Mozeliak on Saturday afternoon.
In a written statement, Jolly said: “Perry has been a valued leader who worked tirelessly over the last six years to strengthen our baseball operations department. I am grateful for his dedication, insight and many contributions to our organization.”
Mozeliak led baseball operations for the Cardinals for 30 years and was replaced in 2025 at the expiration of his contract. He announced at the conclusion of the 2024 season that he’d be stepping down from his position at the end of the 2025 season. Mozeliak then spent the 2025 season in an unorthodox transition year with the Cardinals’ current president of baseball operations, Chaim Bloom.
Mozeliak oversaw one of the most successful runs for an organization in recent memory, which included a World Series championship in 2011 and 10 total postseason appearances, including a franchise-record five straight playoff berths from 2011 to 2015. The Cardinals posted 15 consecutive winning seasons under Mozeliak from 2008 to 2022, with the club’s 1,289 total wins during that time third only to the Los Angeles Dodgers (1,358) and New York Yankees (1,337). He was especially close to Albert Pujols, who serves as a special assistant to the Angels.
Throughout the final year of his tenure, Mozeliak, 57, did not rule out a return to baseball at some point later in his career but repeatedly stated his desire to take some time away from the game. Now, he’s back running an MLB front office — albeit on an interim basis.