In late June, the Angels announced that manager Ron Washington would remain on medical leave for the rest of the season. The team respected his privacy and didn’t provide any more specifics at the time. The 73-year-old skipper updated the media on his health this afternoon.
Washington revealed to the Halos beat that he underwent quadruple bypass surgery to remove blockages from his heart valves roughly two months ago (via Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com and Sam Blum of The Athletic). The situation came together quickly, as Washington revealed he first sought medical attention after noticing swelling around his ankles while the Angels were playing in the Bronx from June 16-19. Washington said the scary situation has spurred him to quit smoking and improve his diet and sleeping habits.
The baseball lifer said he expects to be fully cleared medically in December. He was unequivocal about his desire to return to managing in 2026. Washington said it’s his goal “to finish what we started” with the Angels (relayed by Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register). It stands to reason the Angels will welcome him back, but the team has not said anything his contract. Washington signed a two-year deal when he was hired going into the 2024 season. The club holds an option on his services for 2026.
Bench coach Ray Montgomery will remain the interim manager for the rest of this year. The Angels have dropped a season-high eight games below .500 entering tonight’s series in Texas. MLBTR sends our continued well wishes to Wash as he completes his recovery.
Glad he is recovering but I think I would be fine if he retired.
Priorities.
His decision.
Yes it is, but he needs to know the fans would understand should his plans change.
No kidding.
James,
I think we all saw what Wash was able to do for a young team this year. I am hoping he is healthy enough to come back in 2026 and Arte is smart enough to pick up the option. If Wash decides to retire after having that serious of surgery, I would also be ok with that. Health is always more important than baseball.
Get better, good sir. I wish you a quick recovery.
Angel fans miss Wash. Wins and losses aside, we just want the best for him and his family. He definitely broke through to many of the young Angels and 2026 looks to be a promising year for many of them.
Now Perry / Arte just need to give Wash a proper pitching core.
Nuke Arte.
What 73 year old smokes?! Geez its 2025
@Sourhaze: Does Jim Leyland still smoke? He’s 80 now
Keith Richards and Mick Jagger are the only 73 or older that definitely still smoke. Probably not limited to cigs.
You know who still smokes…….. cough…..cough…….cough…..cough………
Real men! That’s who
Sorry never did it. Only the “devil’s lettuce” for me. Has way more benefits.
Actually Mick has been clean for 30 years. He completely changed – gave up booze & drugs. Keith on the other hand…probably should have been dead many times over.
I mean, does it matter now? Smoke up!
Probably a 73 year old that started smoking when he was 16
Yes, it’s 2025. So I guess a lack of empathy and civility is to be expected.
Best wishes to Mr. Washington!
1955, 3 years after Wash was born, was absolutely less civil and emphatic than 2025 if we’re being honest with ourselves here
There was no internet, and thereby no keyboard warriors in 1955. People are more civilized when things are said face to face. (Unfortunately, not always.)
I think your probably wrong dc. When bad things happen to people, it’s natural for people to think it won’t happen to them because they have made different choices.
No one wants to think they may have a quadruple bypass at 73.
I hope his smoking and drug use had a lot to do with the surgery. I hope heart surgery isn’t just a matter of bad luck.
We all know smoking and drug use are bad. Why does it matter what led to Wash’s surgery? Who cares? Hope he has a speedy recovery. Plenty of people have lived really healthy lives and have required heart surgery at his age.
Sometimes it’s poor genetics, environmental factors, or lifestyle choices, or all of the above or simply bad luck.
Because people want to believe they have some control and hope it doesn’t happen to them.
Mentioning his drug use and smoking is appropriate, relishing in his surgery is not.
Not too many good people left on this earth
Because speculating why a 73 year old needs quadruple bypass surgery makes you bad person.
Got it.
You misunderstood no one should speculate that drugs or smoking had anything to do with quadruple bypass surgery. Everyone should just wish him a speedy recovery.
And I think you’re wrong. I think speculating is fine.
It’s not like I want him to die, or anyone for that matter.
Actions have consequences. If you’re snorting cocaine on a boat and you crash the boat, you can feel bad for the player and the family, but to mention the cause doesn’t make you a bad person.
This guy probably had the surgery done while in baseball uniform. You do you, Wash. Wishing him a full recovery.
Glad he’s on the mend and definitely appreciate his mentorship to the younger players.
Wash under anesthesia would make better decisions than Montgomery. I’m not sure who should manage next year, but Ray definitely should not.
let’s hire Cleveland guardians Stephen Vogt as the Angels manager
I think it’s time to fire Perry Minasian just because of his bad free agent signings
And cut the cancer out from the team Arte Moreno
Wash is a treasure, all thoughts and prayers to him being back in the dugout next year.
If I tried to manage the Angels i too would probably need a quadruple bypass ( joking, as an O’s fan I really have no leeway to poke fun at another organization this year ). But for real, hope he fully recovers. I imagine being a manager of a professional sport team brings some stress and while it may not be the best thing for his health to continue to be a manager, its what he loves and hopefully he can continue to do it.
Bypass surgery (CABG) does not involve the heart valves or remove blockages. It bypasses, via venous or synthetic grafts, blockages in the coronary arteries. (Sometimes the internal mammary artery is used as well.) Heart valve surgery would be replacement or repair. Coronary angioplasty (PTCA) can balloon open blockages and keep them propped open with one or more stents. FYI.
True, I had a 7 vessel bypass, 32 stents (34 stents is the world’s record), and a heart transplant 4 years ago. What you said Capt is true. Thanks for the education for the uneducated.
You are absolutely correct. CABG and 3 Angioplasty procedures here, and it is not fun, I can tell you.
Hello fellow zipper club member! You beat up my Orioles this weekend. Lol
Best wishes Ron! Take it easy in the Offseason 🤙🏽
Wash: Now that I had this quadruple bypass, returning to managing isn’t hard, Perry… tell him doc
Doctor: It’s incredibly hard
Wash will coach you until you get it, the man oozes baseball.
That’s fine, I’m sure you are right. But after a quadruple bypass, he should go fishing. The last thing he should be doing is working a stressful job with a lot of travel. If it took him until his 70’s to stop smoking and change his diet, his cardio system is toast.
The team needs to kick him upstairs to be an advisor to the GM or owner for his own good..
Lets find a little league team for him to refind the joy of the game.
Probs finally kicked the white stuff too.
Your mom sure hasn’t… just fyi.
Your mom is white?
10 wins in a row, coming up
Hmmm, swelling in the ankles you say?
I was thinking the same thing…
Well, his ego is to big for him to wear glasses (always the teleprompters fault), or hearing aids (couldn’t understand the accent), or let anyone see he is balding. I wouldn’t expect him to admit a heart problem. Sad!
Have you seen Donald Trump‘s ankles, swollen?
advancedvcv.com/post/lower-extremity-swelling-is-o…
Its one of the first signs.
I wish him well, but I hope the Angels clean house, starting with th3 owner and GM.
Cocaine is a hell of a drug
Lay off it, GB2.
Who called the fun police?
It’s not hard, tell him Wash.
Godspeed
Say what you want, the man obviously has heart.
Get well soon.
Wishing you a speedy recovery. Baseball needs you.
Retire.
You should Retire. from commenting.
Are you related to Mercenary.Matt.Olson?
Make it back, Wash
Add in cheating at golf, dyeing the body orange, and lusting after ones daughter and you have a modern day King Herod
Happy Taco Tuesday! Things still as great as the 70s?
I was shocked to hear about the quadruple heart surgery. He was an advocate of walking like 5 miles a day, around the baseball stadium every day. Especially when he was with The Braves. Didn’t know he smoked tho. I guess you can exercise a lot, and still can have heart problems.
Speedy recovery Ron. More things important in life than baseball right now. Best wishes.
Look forward to him saying “That’s the way full healing go” next season!
Best Wishes and a speedy recovery!
What was Kochonowitz doing back at the majors last night? That is it, officially gave up on season and now tied with A’s for last place.
What was he doing in the majors….? Throwing batting practice.
Lefty bullpen man Natera Jr. nneds to be promoted along with Ryan Johnson to start games. Perry needs to go as does Anderson-Hendricks-Rengoofo, Soler. .
Glad he’s doing better, but I’d rather the Angels do a “bypass” on bringing Washington back.
They need a younger, more relatable manager.