Albert Pujols and 2 other manager candidates Angels must consider to replace Kurt Suzuki

October 22, 2026 · Yahoo Sports

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The Los Angeles Angels announced on Wednesday that they declined manager Kurt Suzuki’s contract option. The decision means LA is once again set to search for a new manager — something that has become a trend for the Angels over the past decade. Suzuki managed just one season in Anaheim. The ball club struggled, but it certainly wasn’t all Suzuki’s fault. He was given a lackluster overall roster to work with.

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The Angels finally entered a rebuild of sorts by trading a number of players away at the deadline. A quality offseason could lead to the team making things interesting in 2027. Their next manager will need to know that it may take a couple of years for the ball club to truly make noise in the standings, but the future is slowly looking more optimistic in Anaheim.

So, who are the best candidates to lead the next era of Angels baseball?

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Albert Pujols

Albert Pujols stands out as an obvious candidate. He played in Anaheim from 2012 until the 2021 campaign and has been linked to managerial openings around the sport in recent years — including the Angels’ job opening last offseason.

Pujols has not managed in MLB yet, but he did manage the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. He’s also one of the most respected former players in recent memory. Pujols was considered a leader during his playing days, and he also happened to be really good at the whole hitting thing. Taking over fourth place in all-time home runs with a mark of 703 stands out to say the least.

There are currently three managerial openings around the MLB world and they all happen to be in the American League West — the Angels, Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros. Pujols could draw interest from all three ball clubs, so the Halos will need to work quickly this offseason.

Joe Espada

Speaking of the AL West, Joe Espada is set to look for his next job after managing the Astros for the past three seasons. Houston won’t be bringing him back next year, so the Mariners and Angels could look to hire Espada. He’s obviously quite familiar with the AL West, and he’s one of the available managerial candidates with recent big league experience.

Espada found success in Houston, leading the Astros to multiple postseason appearances and an overall 256-229 record. The fact that he managed for an AL West rival could cause some fans to question this idea, but hiring Espada is something that would make sense for an Angels ball club that wants to win soon.

Torii Hunter

Torii Hunter has been mentioned as a possible manager candidate in recent years. He was a five-time All-Star during his playing days who, similar to Pujols, displayed leadership qualities on the field. Hunter also has experience working in the team’s front office.

Hunter does not have as much overall managing experience compared to Pujols and Espada, but his familiarity with the Angels’ organization makes him a strong candidate. In addition to his recent front office role, Hunter spent five of his 19 years as a player in MLB with the Angels. He earned two of his five career All-Star selections in Anaheim as well.

The Angels certainly have a big decision to make. They would surely love for whoever they hire to be their manager of the future.

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