MLB Rumors: Ron Washington, Buck Showalter Interview for Angels Manager Position | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

The Los Angeles Angels, San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers and Houston Astros are the only four Major League Baseball teams without a manager at this point of the offseason, but the Angels are reportedly taking steps to change that in the near future.

According to Sam Blum, Ken Rosenthal and Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic, the American League West team interviewed Ron Washington and Buck Showalter as they are “zeroing in on candidates with big league managing experience.”

The Athletic noted both have ties to Angels general manager Perry Minasian.

Minasian was a scout with the Texas Rangers when Showalter was the manager and when Washington was the manager. What’s more, he was with the Atlanta Braves’ front office during part of the time Washington was the third base coach.

“We all know how a manager can transform a team,” Minasian said. “We all saw it in Texas. A Hall of Fame manager goes there … to add a Bruce Bochy and see him walk through the door, and what he did for that club, it doesn’t go unnoticed. We’re looking for that type of presence.”

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on Thursday that some other candidates for the Angels managerial job are Benji Gil, Dino Ebel, Torii Hunter, Darin Erstad and Tim Salmon.

The position is open because Los Angeles declined the 2024 option on Phil Nevin’s contract. The team went 73-89 last season under Nevin and 46-60 in 2022 after he took over for Joe Maddon.

Los Angeles hasn’t made the playoffs since the 2014 campaign.

Showalter and Washington would certainly both meet the experienced criteria the Angels are apparently looking for in their next hire.

The former has managed the New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, Rangers, Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets over the span of 22 different seasons. His resume includes four Manager of the Year awards and a 1,727-1,665 record.

He led the Mets the past two seasons to varying results, as they made the playoffs with 101 wins in 2022 and were arguably the most disappointing team in the league in 2023 at 75-87.

Washington managed the Rangers from 2007 through 2014 and reached back-to-back World Series in 2010 and 2011.

He went 664-611 during his tenure, although The Athletic noted he “has had several off-field issues. He resigned from the Rangers in 2014, citing personal reasons, while later admitting he was unfaithful to his wife. He also acknowledged using cocaine during the 2009 season.”

Whoever Los Angeles hires will be tasked with turning things around after a disappointing stretch in the American League West.