Albert Pujols is no longer a candidate to be the Angels’ manager; he will interview with the Padres and Orioles

San Diego, California. Future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols is no longer a candidate for the manager position of the Los Angeles Angels, after both parties ended their conversations, according to Jon Heyman (MLB Network). Despite this, Pujols will continue with plans to interview with the San Diego Padres and the Baltimore Orioles, according to information from Kevin Acee, of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

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Following the retirement of Mike Shildt, the San Diego Padres are looking for a new manager, and all indications are that the name of Albert Pujols tops the list of candidates. According to Acee, the Dominican will be officially interviewed by the organization, although the date of the meeting has not yet been confirmed. Pujols represents a high-profile option for the club, both for his leadership and for his career of more than two decades in Major League Baseball, where he was recognized for his work ethic, respect, and deep knowledge of the game. During the start of the offseason, Pujols was closely linked to the Angels, where he even held contract talks to succeed Ron Washington and Ray Montgomery.
At some point he was considered the favorite for the position, but negotiations were suspended, leaving open the possibility that the Dominican seeks his first opportunity as a manager with another organization. With confirmed interest from Padres and Orioles, the Dominican will explore new options to make the jump to the dugouts in 2026. The position with the Padres is particularly interesting. Unlike the Angels and Orioles, San Diego comes from playing the 2025 postseason, falling to the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card Series. The team has qualified for the playoffs in four of the last six seasons, including an appearance in the National League Championship Series in 2022, and maintains a competitive core led by Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill, Mason Miller and Nick Pivetta. However, the organization faces questions in its opening rotation following the departures of Dylan Cease and Michael King, in addition to the increasing age of some of its main figures. In addition to Pujols, pitching coach Rubén Niebla will be interviewed for the position, according to Acee. Also listed is Ryan Flaherty, current Cubs bench coach and former Padres assistant under Bob Melvin, who was already a finalist for the same position two years ago. The former Padres catcher and special assistant to the Rangers, Nick Hundley, is also being considered by the organization, although he recently withdrew from the interview process with the San Francisco Giants for family reasons. With this opportunity, Albert Pujols continues his transition towards a possible career as a manager in the Major Leagues. His leadership, experience, and legacy as one of the best players of his generation position him as a figure of great respect within baseball. If any of these interviews come to fruition, Pujols could be taking the first step towards a new stage in his career, now from the dugout, guiding the next generation of players in the best baseball in the world.