It is becoming increasingly likely that Albert Pujols will return to the Angels next season – this time as the team’s captain.
Pujols, 45, met with Angels general manager Perry Minasian on Thursday to hold preliminary discussions about opening the team at the helm. Athletic reported this on Friday.
A league source told the newspaper that the meeting went well, although there is no official agreement yet.
Pujols is also the preferred choice of Angels owner Arte Moreno, with sources saying it is the three-time NL MVP’s choice whether he wants the job.
The former 11-time All-Star spent ten seasons as a player for the Angels and hit 222 home runs.
Pujols has also expressed interest in managing an MLB ball club, having spent time at the helm in the Dominican Winter League and for the Dominican national team in the World Baseball Classic.
His meeting with Minasian comes just days after the Angels ousted both Ron Washington and interim manager Ray Montgomery following a terrible 72-90 record this season.
Washington, 73, had been away from the team since June as he underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery.
However, during an interview in September, Washington – who began managing the team in 2024 – emphasized that Los Angeles’ decision not to pick up his 2026 option was not due to his health, but rather the Angels’ play.
“You know, when you’re a competitor and you’re in charge, all that stuff doesn’t come into play anymore,” Washington told The Athletic. “Sometimes you have to make chicken salad out of chicken s–t.”
Washington added that he did not get a chance to speak with Moreno before he was released.
“I have to accept that,” Washington said. “I can’t go back and argue with them and try to tell them differently once they’ve made a decision. … We started performing better.”
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