Can an MLB Legend Bring the Winning Ways Back to Anaheim?
Recent reports indicate that the Angels' front office has met with Albert Pujols to discuss the manager position, following the departure of manager Ron Washington at the end of the 2025 season. Pujols signed a 10-year, $240 million contract in 2012 with the Angels. Part of his deal was a $10 million personal services contract that began following his retirement in 2022. He has since been working for the Angels as a special assistant, working with general manager Perry Minasian, the coaching staff, as well as with prospects in the Dominican Republic.
If experience in the MLB is any indicator of success, Pujols’ reputation as a player speaks for itself. His career began in 2001, spending 11 years with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he earned three MVPs, a Rookie of the Year award, nine All-Star game nods, and two World Series titles before signing with the Angels in 2012. With the Halos, Pujols hit his 500th career home run in 2014, his 600th in 2017, and reached 3,000 hits in 2018. Although the team made only one quick postseason appearance in 2014, Pujols was able to cement a future call to the Hall of Fame, hitting those milestones with the Angels.
Pujols’ time with the Angels came to an unceremonious end when the team designated him for assignment in 2021 after appearing in 24 games. The Freeway Series rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers, picked him up right after. Then, in 2022, he signed back with the Cardinals to end his 22-year career in MLB, and reached one final milestone, hitting his 703rd career homer with the birds. Since his retirement, he has returned to the Angels as a special assistant, working within the organization since 2023. After the 2024 MLB season ended, Pujols got a taste of managing a club when he led the Leones del Escogido to Dominican League and Caribbean League titles in his managerial debut. Then, in early 2025, Pujols was awarded the role of manager of the Dominican Republic for the 2026 World Baseball Classic after his success with the Leones.
Now, with the news of Pujols’ potentially being in the lead for the next Angels manager, Pujols will inherit a roster in transition, led by Mike Trout but still searching for an identity after years of underachievement. Pujols’ combination of elite playing experience, milestone achievements, and growing managerial skills makes him a compelling candidate to restore stability and accountability. While he has yet to manage at the MLB level, his success managing the Leones and a managerial nod for the 2026 World Baseball Classic prove he can lead players in high-pressure environments. If the Angels are serious about returning to contention, Pujols could provide the leadership, credibility, and culture reset the franchise has long needed.
