Short-Term Solution: 2019 World Series Champion Faces Uphill Battle with the Angels
Kurt Suzuki is returning to Anaheim, this time as the team’s new manager. The Los Angeles Angels announced on Tuesday October 21, that Suzuki signed a contract with the Angels to lead the team beginning in 2026. The following day, during an introductory press conference, that question was answered. Suzuki signed a one-year deal to lead the Angels, which is unusual for managers, who usually receive contracts lasting two to five years. The offer gives the Angels a flexible option if the decision goes sideways, but it also highlights the uncertainty the Angels have faced over the last couple of decades.
Why a one-year deal?
The Angels enter an odd time in their leadership. The Angels are entering an uncertain period in their leadership, meaning that around this time next year, the process could repeat itself. If the Angels owner Arte Moreno doesn’t see what he likes performance-wise from either, then it’s over for Suzuki and Minasian. Then, there’s the looming lockout. If there’s a possibility of no baseball being played in 2027, Moreno would still be on the hook for paying Suzuki’s contract. No matter how you look at it, Suzuki and Minasian are on the hot seat.
Does Suzuki bring enough experience to Anaheim?
Suzuki’s hiring comes with zero experience in either coaching or managing in any form in the MLB. However, he lacks coaching experience; he brings in playing experience. Suzuki’s career spans 16 years, with one All-Star appearance and a World Series championship with the 2019 Washington Nationals. Since retiring in 2022, Suzuki has had a presence with the Angels as a special assistant, similar to former potential candidates the Angels were considering before signing Suzuki. Former teammates and current coworkers believe that he is more than capable of the job.
The Angels still need to hire a coaching staff.
The one-year deal might keep candidates from taking a job with the Halos. After all, they are coming off a 72-90 season, and if the Angels can’t dish out a longer-term deal for the manager, what offer would a coach get? Anyone who has options to look elsewhere will undoubtedly do so. It’s too soon to tell whether Suzuki will have a supporting cast of coaches worthy of getting the team back on a winning track.
The Angels' front office should be worried with every move that they make after missing out on another postseason since 2014. Expecting something different with Suzuki’s hiring might be wishful thinking at best. The Angels have now forced Suzuki to prove he should stay with the Angels long term, rather than focusing entirely on getting the Halos to a successful season. Either way, Suzuki is ready to take on the challenge. “I feel like, throughout my career, I’ve had to prove myself every single year. It doesn’t scare me. It only fuels me to be better,” Suzuki said.
