The Angels pushed MLB's longest active playoff drought to 11 seasons. They've lost at least 89 games in four consecutive years. While general manager Perry Minasian will get a sixth season, there's another change in the dugout. Kurt Suzuki has a difficult task ahead of his first year as an MLB manager.
Guaranteed Contracts
- Mike Trout, RF: $177.25MM through 2030
- Yusei Kikuchi, LHP: $42MM through 2027
- Anthony Rendon, 3B: $38MM through 2026
- Jorge Soler, DH: $13MM through 2026
- Robert Stephenson, RHP: $11MM through 2026 (deal includes $2.5MM club option for '27)
- Travis d'Arnaud, C: $6MM through 2026
Additional Financial Commitments
- Owe $2MM buyout to outrighted 1B Evan White
- Owe $250K buyout to released IF Kevin Newman
2026 guaranteed contracts: $126.5MM
Total future commitments: $289.5MM
Arbitration-Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projected salaries courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)
- Taylor Ward (5.164): $13.7MM
- Brock Burke (5.045): $2MM
- Jo Adell (4.085): $5.5MM
- Reid Detmers (3.159): $2.6MM
- José Soriano (3.121): $3.2MM
- Logan O’Hoppe (3.008): $2.9MM
- Zach Neto (2.170): $4.1MM
Free Agents
- Kyle Hendricks, Tyler Anderson, Luis Rengifo, Yoán Moncada, Kenley Jansen, Luis García, José Ureña, Andrew Chafin, Hunter Strickland, Chris Taylor
The Angels are in an all too familiar position. They've shown no appetite for a rebuild without having the kind of depth on the MLB roster to compete over a 162-game schedule. They outperformed their run differential in the first half of this past season, allowing them to essentially sit on their hands at the trade deadline. Then they went 19-34 over the final two months -- a record better only than the Rockies and Twins -- to lose 90 games yet again.
GM Perry Minasian gets another opportunity to turn things around. He's going into the final guaranteed season of his contract. He has yet to win more than 77 games. The Angels' issues predate Minasian's hiring and can be laid largely at the feet of owner Arte Moreno, but the front office is surely under some pressure to get better results. The Angels opted not to bring back Ron Washington or interim skipper Ray Montgomery, so they're now on the fourth full-time manager of the Minasian era.
That'll be Kurt Suzuki, a first-time manager with no MLB coaching experience. Sam Blum of The Athletic reports that it's a one-year contract, an atypically short commitment to any manager. Suzuki was highly respected as a longtime big league catcher and has spent the past three seasons working as a special assistant in the Angels' front office. While the jury is out on that hiring, the search process didn't exactly point to the organization having a coherent plan.
As recently as two weeks ago, it looked like Albert Pujols would be the choice. The future Hall of Famer seemed to be Moreno's preferred candidate. Last week, The Athletic's Sam Blum reported that the team had reversed course and would at least interview Suzuki and Torii Hunter as well. Pujols was out a few days later. Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported that disagreements regarding the coaching staff and compensation were among the reasons the Pujols talks fell apart. Blum wrote that it was mostly a contractual dispute.
The Angels owe Pujols $1MM annually for the next seven seasons as part of the personal services contract that he signed when he retired as a player. It's unclear if the Angels hoped to incorporate that into Pujols' managerial salaries. In any case, it's not a great look for the organization that they were unwilling to meet the asking price of the person they considered the best candidate available. Pujols' salary demands aren't known, but even the most successful managers in MLB make around $8MM annually. That's barely more than the Angels are paying backup catcher Travis d'Arnaud.
None of that is meant as a slight at Suzuki. It's certainly not a given that Pujols would have been a better hire. Yet it's the latest example of Moreno valuing marginal short-term savings over what he ostensibly believed would have been the best choice for the team. That probably doesn't bode well for the more significant roster shakeup that should be in the cards.
Suzuki will have his work cut out for him with what is likely to remain one of the league's weakest rosters. The Angels have questions behind the plate, at both second and third base, and in center field. They have at most two reliable starting pitchers, neither of whom fit at the top of a rotation. Building Reid Detmers back up gives them another potential mid-rotation arm but leaves them with arguably one dependable reliever (Brock Burke). Minasian told Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register and other reporters earlier this month that Detmers "earned" another look as a starter and is expected to be in the Opening Day rotation.
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Main priority this off-season should be extending Taylor Ward. Can’t let that bat walk next year.
I disagree. I believe they need to trade Ward this off season. They have 4 corner outfielders. They need to fill multiple holes. Ward probably can offer the best return. Ward had a good year, but even with him having hi s best year, they still were last place.
Hell No!!! They need to trade him now, when he has a little value. He will be 33 next season. Hes average defender, average baserunner, and slightly above average hitter that strikes out a ton. 1000% need to move on from him
Well the Angels likely won’t be signing a big free agent after giving Suzuki a ridiculous one-year lame duck contract.
How do I get a subscription? I’m struggling here. I dumped my FanGraphs and athletic memberships so I’m looking to get an mlb tr subscription. I’d say 3.99 per month is quite appealing.
What is the lowest manager salary in MLB? Suzuki can’t be topping that. Will he be on the medical plan at least?
A parking discount?
Offseason outlook for the Angels? Whatever Arte says, and so it shall be.
A new manager on a one year deal? Makes me wonder if that’s Suzuki’s idea or the Angels?
Arte couldn’t get him to accept a month to month contract.
The one year deal to Perry Minasian means if the Angels don’t improve sayonara, pack your bags
I’d guess it was the the Angels’ idea. Minasian deal has one year left. If Moreno decides not to bring him back after next season he’s going to want to give new GM opportunity to pick his own manager. Not sure why Suzuki would have agreed, however. It is going to be hard to demonstrate his managerial prowess with this collection of talent in this division. It will be a successful season if they beat out the Athletics for last place. But no one — especially Moreno — is going to view that as success.
Fairly major heart issues with Washington, and I’m sure the Angels aren’t doing much to take the stress off.
Ron Washington didn’t lose the clubhouse. He didn’t lose the fans. He lost a front office that’s uncomplicated
36–38 before his medical leave. Minor signings team full of rookies, reclamation projects, and free agent-ghosts of Arte’s past. And yet, Washington brought energy, accountability, and a sense of purpose this franchise hasn’t seen since the Rally Monkey had a pulse.
So why not one more year?
Because Perry Minasian said it was “performance-based.” Not health. Not leadership. Just numbers. As if ten years of losing seasons were suddenly Washington’s fault.
This wasn’t a manager who got a fair shot. It was a man handed a shovel and asked to build a skyscraper.
that’s really grim
One year??? lmao
Makes sense since the GM is getting fired next year.
October of 2009 the 3 time defending AL West champion Angels lose in the ALCS to eventual World Series champion Yankees.
Over the next 2 months Arte installs his college buddies as President and Chairman of the organization.
The only thing worse than the MLB product since then has been our farm.
Until that three headed monster of suck is out of the way nothing of importance will change.
HHJJ, have you been following the Skaggs trial? It’s an absolute embarrassment. An owner represents the geographical location of his team. They’re like stewards for making money in our town. They have to be approved through MLB.
It’s time for that approval to expire. Just like Donald Sterling was forced to sell the Clippers, MLB needs to force Arte Moreno to sell the Angels. A literal drug ring and resultant deaths – along with operational negligence – happened under his (lack of) ownership, This guy is only in it for the sale money and he’s bad for the game. Get out.
The Skaggs family’s wrongful death lawsuit alleges the Angels knew or should have known about a drug pipeline inside their clubhouse, implicating former communications director Eric Kay, who was convicted in 2022.
A judge recently denied the Angels’ motion for summary judgment, meaning the case is heading to full trial. Testimony could reveal whether leadership turned a blind eye to systemic misconduct.
The Public Optics
Fans and media are increasingly calling for Arte Moreno to sell,
Highly doubt Moreno knew anything about this. He got rid of Hamilton for a night of cocaine use and will not sign players who have been suspended for PED use.
Been following it closely and it is everything you described. And in many ways worse.
Now, I’d be willing to bet MLB teams have employees (usually clubbies) who get players what they want discreetly.
But this was just blatant drug use and distribution by a guy who should have spent more time in the C suite than in the clubhouse.
Prognosis negative
Angels are not going to invest heavily in third base. Moreno is still paying Rendon $38 million and he’s going to hand Rendon third base until he’s injured again. In his last season with the Nats, Rendon produced 7.3 WAR in 646 PA. In five seasons with the Angels, he has produced 3.9 WAR in 1,095 PA. And most of that WAR came in the 2020 pandemic season, his first with the Angels. It is absurd to think that after four brutal seasons Rendon can return to the form that earned him MVP votes a half decade ago, or even some semblance of that. But that’s not going to stop Moreno.
Good number of their players remained healthy for majority of the season but the results sure could’ve been better. I have doubts that Rendon would want to play with effort ever again, he should just take the money and retire at this point or say I retire and team can keep rest of the money they owe him.
Rendon walks away from $38M? Not going to happen. Arte eating the bad contract? Also, not going to happen.
Arte has eaten contract on Vernon Wells, Josh Hamilton, Albert Pujols, and more.
He’ll end up eating this one as well.
HalosHeavenJJ: “He’ll end up eating this one as well.”
I hope you’re right so we can open up a roster spot and have a better clubhouse vibe. We’ll see!
Let’s be real—Arte’s had a few of these bloated deals for lunch.
Hamilton: chewing on Hamilton sandwich
Pujols: washing it down with aged milk,
Upton: served cold, Marie Callender‘s frozen dinner
Now Rendon’s the latest entrée in the “Arte’s All-You-Can-Regret Buffet.”
Arte the kind of owner who orders the filet, sends it back, and still tips 5%
Rendon aside….how’s that Mike Trout contract working out for you Angels fans…..probably as well as Stanton for my Yankees……
I suggested that they trade Trout about five years ago, no-trade notwithstanding. The Angel fans were not exactly angelic about my suggestion.
One year deal on the surface isn’t a great look, but it’s a two way street, and Suzuki knows what he signed up for. I like what he said in his press conference yesterday as well. He played his last 5-6 seasons on a 1 year deal, so it’s nothing new and keeps the hunger to get better.
*Also missing context about the deal: There are multiple options years that have widely not been reported. Details of the options are unknown at the moment, but practically nobody is mentioning that
Thin Ice in Anaheim: Suzuki’s One-Year Deal Exposes GM Perryman’s Final Lap
The Angels just handed Kurt Suzuki a one-year managerial contract a move so rare it practically screams “prove-it or pack-it.” But the real story isn’t Suzuki’s leash. It’s who’s holding it.
General Manager Perry Minasian is also entering the final year of his deal. Translation? This isn’t a rebuild it’s a last-ditch audition. Suzuki isn’t just managing the roster; he’s tethered to Perryman’s fate. If the Halos stumble again, Arte Moreno won’t be renewing résumés he’ll be replacing them
Let’s be clear: Suzuki’s hire wasn’t about long-term vision. It was about short-term optics. After Albert Pujols walked away from negotiations, the Angels pivoted to a familiar face with no managerial experience and a contract that expires no knock on Kurt Suzuki I think he’s very capable
We can only hope Arte sells the team! He had 3 of the greatest players of all time on the roster at the same time Pujols, Trout, Ohtani and couldn’t make the playoffs!
Nightmare? To me, someone who has never had a negative war and seldom plays it not a nightmare.
Players with negative WAR are nightmares.
Logan O’Hoppe. Jorge Soler. Travis D’Arnard. Jack K.
I would not release him out of spite! Just have him on the bench all year with the occasional DH / PH and once he causes problems then they file to void the contract!
It takes a lot for me to dislike a player. That’s different than thinking a player is good.
Lots of players are not good, I don’t dislike players because they get hurt or are not good.
The fact is, few players come back and produce after hip surgery. Rendon is the only player to have two hip surgeries this century. One on each hip.. I don’t dislike him for that.
But the odds of him being any good this year are close to zero. I don’t blame him for that. Some people do.
Hop Along Cassidy: The Retirement Tour.
Rendon’s riding out 2025 with two surgically rebuilt hips and $38.5M in guaranteed cash. Arte Moreno already waved the white flag—Rendon won’t play a single inning. He’s parked on the 60-day IL, freeing up a 40-man spot but still clogging payroll like a clogged artery, giving Angels fans, a heart attack The Angels can stop pretending. Saddle up, it’s the final lap. The 2026 retirement tour, some players receiver, a surfboard, maybe a car Anthony Rendon at the end of the season instead of a surfboard how about new shiny wheelchair
Angel fans should not want a single long term free agent contract.
My hope is both Arte and Perry are gone by the end of the season. If the Angels are signing long term free agents, that tells me they have long term plans.
My real hope is they are gone before Perry blows another draft and trade deadline.
I enjoyed watching Hendricks pitch. I wish he, Jenson, and Chris Taylor could come back.
DrDick, how do you know he’s “one of the worst people”? I’m curious what he said or did to you.
Angels seem such a mess, and just keep wasting year after year. They will finish last in West. The GM really is a lousy one. The owner makes dollars by the millions but makes no sense. Just a mess, plus the trial….
Adding Maddux changes a ton of options. I like Singer for Ward. Go younger with Adell. I like adding Okamoto and Cease as FA. Maddux would be great for Cease. Then bring back Kenley and. I like adding Bubic if the deal is right. They do need a contact hitter/OBP kinda guy.