The Angels aren’t the only team vying for Albert Pujols’ managerial services. Alden Gonzalez and Jeff Passan of ESPN reported the Orioles are expected to interview Pujols for their opening. Baltimore fired Brandon Hyde in May of this past season. Tony Mansolino took over on an interim basis, and he remains in the mix for the full-time gig.
The ESPN story comes less than a week after reports of Pujols closing in on the Los Angeles job. The Hall of Fame first baseman was regarded as the frontrunner for the position at the beginning of October, and follow-up stories have supported that notion, though there’s been no report of an official offer from the Angels. Gonzalez and Passan noted that Los Angeles is still the most likely landing spot for Pujols.
Baltimore dismissed Hyde after a 15-28 start. The team entered the season with plenty of fanfare after two consecutive postseason appearances, but fell well short of expectations. The Orioles did improve to 60-59 under Mansolino. Hyde had elevated the team from the basement of the American League to a contender in the challenging NL East. He earned AL Manager of the Year honors in 2023 after bringing home the club’s first division title since 2014.
Despite the poor 2025 campaign, there’s a lot to like about the Orioles’ outlook. The team is loaded with proven young talent, including Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Adley Rutschman, and Jordan Westburg. Fellow youngsters Colton Cowser, Samuel Basallo, and Coby Mayo have shown flashes in limited action. The pitching staff is a question mark, but Trevor Rogers broke out as an ace, and Kyle Bradish has shown considerable upside when healthy. The team should also have the flexibility to add in free agency. FanGraphs’ RosterResource tool estimates Baltimore’s payroll to be around $81MM for next season. That’s about half the amount they spent in 2025.
In addition to the enticing roster, a couple of St. Louis connections could make Baltimore a desirable landing spot for Pujols. As Gonzalez and Passan point out, Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias was a scout for the Cardinals during Pujols’ playing days. Pujols is still close to Cardinals teammate Matt Holliday, the father of Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday.
If Pujols does land a job with an MLB team, it’ll be his first in affiliated ball. He managed Leones del Escogido, a Dominican winter ball team, last offseason. Pujols has been tabbed to lead the Dominican Republic national team in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, though that would likely change if he earns a major-league position.
I heard somewhere that interviewing candidates is a professional move.
Now I’d argue that the professional quality of said candidates would be the judge of that.
Meaning what? That Albert is not professional quality? First let’s stipulate that he’s getting the Angels job, but this is the greatest hitter of his generation, known for a great baseball IQ, he’s been a successful manager and teacher in winter ball and is one of the most respected people in the sport. Kudos to Elias for taking the time to hear h out.
To bad TR can’t filter the quality of posts.
He was the best hitter of the 2000’s but the decade of the 2010’s he was just average
Best hitter of any decade is quite the accolade and something to be proud of no matter when it occurred. But agreed on the timing of the decades.
Daaaaaaaamn
This is one of those phone a friend moments from who wants to be a millionaire. Arte will have a contract ready for Albert to sign tomorrow morning.
Hopefully Albert can convince Rendon to put his helmet on when he rides bikes with the neighbor kids.
Thats…..actually kinda wild. Interesting to see my O’s considering guys with limited to no managerial experience even if its just due diligence. I imagine Pujols would be more inclined to go for the Angels job due to his familiarity with the organization. However I imagine the O’s situation is a bit more palpable in terms of potential immediate success despite the big underperformance this past season due to a variety of reasons. I imagine more organizations will probably at least check in on Pujols for potential interviews if he is seriously being looked at by multiple teams.
I imagine Pujols would be more inclined to go somewhere other than Anaheim due to his familiarity with the organization. But I don’t know if any team other Anaheim will be interested.
lmfao touche xD
MLB Top 100 Commenter-Non-Anaheim interest for Pujols
mlbtraderumors.com/2025/10/albert-pujols-expected-…
I wish the Os played in the NL East
So, the O’s don’t care, eh?
Still say orioles need someone with experience. Not necessarily some old retread like rojas, maybe someone like baldelli. Id love to get bochey, but there is no way hed sign up with us.
@Porcupine He only lacks experience in title. He played 22 years many of which on rosters with plenty of young.playets, has been a clubhouse leader, has experienced numerous different managerial styles and clubhouse cultures.
Bottom line he know baseball, would likely be respected by players, and has leadership experience in the clubhouse.
I love when players like Pujols want to get into managing. I think its great for the game and the young players on those rosters. An All Time great staying in the game longer and passing own knowledge and his experiences.
None of what you suggested is wrong. However, I’d propose that just because a player with Hall of Fame credentials wants to manage doesn’t mean he’ll be any good at it. Exhibits A and B: Ted Williams and Alan Trammell. Great ballplayers, terrible in the dugout.
Not a HOFer, but Maury Wills was maybe the worst manager in history. His teammates (some of them, anyways) called him a joke.
Don Mattingly is pretty much the only manager I can name off the top of my head in the modern era that was actually a good player. I’d imagine the higher career earnings you’ve banked, the less you want to babysit modern ballplayers.
Williams got the 69 Senators like Ed Brinkman to hit smarter and the club finished well, consideringthe roster. Terrible only with pitchers, but then just lost interest in the job altogether.
Mike Scioscia was a great manager when he had Joe Maddon as the bench coach/numbers guy.
There are multiple facets to managing. Keeping the clubhouse together, helping players improve, and in game strategy. Hard to find that all in one guy. Should be a group effort.
The worst part of being a manager is the analytic garbage that 10 Harvard nerds try to tell a manager how to manage his pitching staff. Why do you think scoscia is not managing anymore
Mike routinely got out managed by people who used data once Maddon left.
I concur. Its hard for someone to teach what comes natural. Which is why the vast majority of successful managers are good ball players not great ones.
Molitor!
I imagine Baldelli would be a good fit for us, guy with some experience managing, has an inclination to using advanced metrics for managerial decisions (though nowadays you kinda have to be able to do that at the manager position) and a fairly young guy to boot so its not like he wont have the pulse of a younger team. Of the available and potentially interested guys he would probably be my choice as he has a bit more successful experience than others. I haven’t seen him express specific interest in the O’s but I would love to have the guy over most of the options I’ve seen bandied about.
Mathany
Ausmus
Melvin
no, no and no thanks.
Holliday has proven to be solidly one WAR.
Matt Holliday was 44.4 WAR, oh you meant his son? It’s only his 2nd year in the majors.
The article had him in the list of “proven” players
…so far.
Pujols knows how messed up the Angels are.
Feel like Baltimore will go with the safe/boring hire and bring in Melvin.
Too bad the Cardinals are entering the Chaim Bloom era because firing Marmol and hiring Pujols would actually make sense if they were interested in winning
Pujols doesn’t need to tarnish his legacy in STL. That can really only go one way with a team that is that is in a mini rebuild.
Note: Albert can’t run to first base
Ex superstars are never good managers. Don Mattingly is like your best player who was an okay manager. I don’t understand the fascination with Pujols.
Frank Robinson?
Robinson was 1065-1176 being a manager and never won a title or division. Great player, but come on.
Frank Robinson worked with some woebegone teams like the Nats and the O’s at the time and got the most out of them. There’s a lot to be said for him as a manager.
He did win Manager of the Year in 1989.
Frank Robinson was every bit the manager of Mattingly who was referenced in the initial comment.
Joe Torre says hi.
Yes, and Yogi Berra (HOF, 3X MVP) won two pennants — one with the Mets — in six seasons as a manager.
Not a hall of fame level player, but yes he was a great player on Mattingly’s level.
I don’t know if Davey Johnson qualifies as a Superstar as compared to a very good player but he was an effective Manager.
Fregosi was a pretty good player in his early years. Then you could go back to someone like Lou Boudreau, too. Shortstops who’ve stuck around are often good candidates. Can’t blame the managers for a bad hand.
Not saying good players CANT be good managers, it’s just that your true superstars are usually bad at it.
I responded with Frank Robinson because he was a true superstar not just good.
Not Molitor.
Pete Rose says hello and would like to put a wager on himself. too soon?
Dave Roberts is doing ok.
^^ I think he’s going for Hall of Fame level talent player as manager. We lower the bar top much and Bruce Bochy enters the chat
Yeah everyone is missing the point when they’re just naming managers who were good players. They were not superstars. I am talking about all time greats like Ted Williams, who was terrible.
I mentioned Frank Robinson. Im not sure your parameters for all time great. Id assume that’s atleast the HOF. Frank led some very lousy teams by record, but was brought in to lead those teams becsuse it was his specialty. He was a manager of the year once. I get you’re not after Dusty Baker. Yogi Berra also managed successfully. I don’t disagree that MOST managers tended to be lousy players or mediocre. But you’re also dealing with a numbers game as well. Theres just a LOT more mediocre players than superstar level players who managed. There just more OF them. I’ve tried to give this thought and consider just WHO might qualify. Id say Frank Robinson. And if he’s not who youd consider a superstar..that’d be a matter of subjective opinion. He was most definitely a superstar.
Frank Robinson is unquestionably a superstar, he’s also got a losing record as a MLB manager.
No one has brought up Molitor. Not his fault if 4 seasons in his hometown with that club were enough. Mgr of the Year in 2017.
Ok, so you’re parameters are Hall of Fame and have to have won. That’s fine. But that neglects some who were actually GOOD managers but their skill set was actually COACHING you talent. That was Frank Robinson. Yeah I got it..Ted Williams sucked. As a general rule great players seem to struggle relating their immense talent to sometimes other players who don’t possess it. I dont disagree. I just think theres some flawed logic as to assessing what makes a good manager. Wins are one. But there’s deeper levels to that.
Some managers are capstones…that was Larussa and Dusty Baker. Name some development managers…much harder. They develop talent.
Gil Hodges won the 69 Series.
I think balancing both. Have to probably be Joe Torre.
No one brings up Paul Molitor period in life lol
Molitor!
He’s too smart to think he can fix the clown show, so he’ll never manage the Pobres.
But I’m dumb enough to believe wholeheartedly that he is The One.
I think it’s hilarious how everybody in the comments are pretending to be a GM. There’s a reason why it’s called an “interview” not “let’s hire a guy for fun” you hear what he has to say and go from there. Every manager (including the best of the best) had their first game
That’s literally the entire site and has been since I first gor here in the 00’s
the people on here are rookies compared to fan pages on Facebook.
As an Angels fan I wouldn’t want anyone talking to Albert. Yeah hes inexperienced but I dont think he’d put up with Artes crap. He’d want to win and a winning roster and coaches etc to do so. And a working A/C. Get him to help shape the culture. They need reasons to come because they don’t have many if any
Pupils has a $10 million , 10 year personal services contract with the Angels. It has 7 years left .STOP POSTING CLICKBAIT..
We don’t know what that agreement looks like and if it would completely preclude Pujols from taking a job with another organization. It could very well include opt-out provisions or even be a scenario where the club is willing to cancel the agreement to allow Pujols to accept a position.
The club would love to cancel a $10MM payment to Pujols where they’re getting little to nothing.
Let me guess. This anonymous source is Pujols agent, who wants to put pressure on the Angels to sign Pujols. Note the sales job of rather tenuous connections mentioned between Pujols and the Os — Elias was an amateur scout with the Cards just out of college when Pujols was a superstar for St. Louis, they likely had nothing to do with one another. And Matt Holliday has nothing to do with the Os except his son is in the organization, he’s got the same connection with Colorado, who also are searching for a manager.
Did Pujlos asked to be released from the Angels? Why would you ever manage a team who released you on year 10 of your contract a few seasons prior.
Orioles need a new GM not manager. I’ve never seen a playoff team with a core of young talent have their roster misused so badly
If I remember correctly, the Angels had a meeting with Pujols where they told him they wanted to remove him from the starting lineup and make him a bench player. He told them he wasn’t interested in that, so the Angels released him.
why would it matter that Elias and Pujois were both employed in different parts of the same org a million years ago? for roles that neither still do? is it the Holiday Inn Express effect? you sleep there, eat their morning cinnamon rolls and now can do brain surgery?
it seems to me that training and experience as a brain surgeon is the best indicator of future success at brain surgery.
Smoke