The Los Angeles Angels have dismissed manager Kurt Suzuki following a franchise-worst 62-100 season, marking the first time in team history the club has lost 100 games in a single campaign. The announcement was made on Wednesday by baseball operations consultant John Mozeliak, who confirmed the team declined the option on Suzuki’s contract for the 2027 season.
Suzuki, who served as the Angels’ manager for just one year, was originally hired despite having no prior managerial experience at any level. A former catcher and Cal State Fullerton standout, Suzuki ended his 16-year major league playing career with the Angels in 2022. He had previously worked within the organization as a special assistant before being promoted to manager by then-general manager Perry Minasian. Minasian himself was fired midseason in June by owner Arte Moreno, who agreed in early September to sell controlling interest in the team to Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, led by Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke. Although the sale is not expected to be finalized until next year, the new ownership group has begun making swift changes.
Mozeliak praised Suzuki’s relationship with the players and suggested the poor team performance was not fully reflective of his managerial capabilities. “Kurt has earned tremendous respect in our clubhouse, and I’ve seen firsthand how much he cares about our players,” Mozeliak said. Suzuki has been offered a role within the organization as a special assistant, although it remains unclear if he will remain with the franchise.
The Angels’ coaching staff is also expected to undergo significant changes. Earlier this year, Mozeliak dismissed pitching coach Mike Maddux and two other staffers citing insufficient use of analytics in managing the team’s pitchers. Some staff members have been offered alternative roles within the organization.
The team’s struggles have been ongoing, with 11 consecutive losing seasons and 12 years without a playoff appearance. Since parting ways with Mike Scioscia after the 2018 season, the Angels have seen six different managers, making Suzuki the seventh to lead the club in nine seasons. The club’s finish at the bottom of the American League West adds to a bleak period in franchise history.
Speculation has already begun regarding potential replacements, with former Angels player and World Baseball Classic manager Albert Pujols mentioned as a possibility. Pujols, who spent parts of a decade with the Angels and managed the Dominican Republic’s team in the 2026 WBC, was reportedly a finalist for the managerial position before Suzuki was hired.
The Angels’ managerial vacancy is one of three currently open in the American League West, following the departures of managers in Seattle and Houston. With new ownership now in place, the Angels organization appears poised for a period of transition as it seeks to reverse years of underperformance and reinvigorate its fanbase.