Albert Pujols in the Angels’ Managerial Race
The legendary first baseman, Albert Pujols, met with the general manager of the Los Angeles Angels, Perry Minasian, in St. Louis on Thursday night. The meeting aimed to discuss the team’s manager vacancy, according to a source close to the process.
Although a formal offer has not yet been made, Pujols has been considered a leading candidate since the Angels declined manager Ron Washington’s contract option for 2026 last week. Pujols, 45 years old, has expressed a strong interest in managing at the Major League level for years. His experience includes leading the Leones del Escogido, a Dominican winter baseball team, to the championship in January. In addition, Pujols was named manager of the Dominican Republic for the next World Baseball Classic, although he would likely relinquish that role if he gets a Major League job this offseason. The Angels are one of six teams looking for new managers. According to sources, other clubs have inquired about Pujols, but the Angels are the only team he has formally met with to discuss the possibility of managing. Pujols signed a 10-year, $240 million contract with the Angels in December 2011, which included a 10-year, $10 million personal services contract that went into effect after his retirement. The future of that agreement would likely be part of any financial negotiations that took place with the Angels. Pujols has been a special guest instructor at Angels spring training for the last three years and is considered a prime candidate by both Minasian, who valued him highly even after his release in May 2021, and Angels owner Arte Moreno. Considered one of the most outstanding players of the 2000s, Pujols accumulated three MVP awards and two World Series championships in a 22-year career, during which he hit 703 home runs, drove in 2,218 runs, and achieved 3,384 hits. His best years were in St. Louis, but the Angels could give him his first opportunity as a manager.
