Kurt Suzuki takes the lead over Albert Pujols and will be the new Angels' pilot

ANAHEIM, California. Kurt Suzuki would have won the battle against Albert Pujols to manage the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim. According to reports from ESPN, the former Japanese-American catcher will take command of the team despite not having previous experience as a coach, with the mission of reversing the prolonged postseason drought that the Californian franchise is going through.

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Suzuki, 42, becomes the fifth full-time manager of the team since Mike Scioscia’s departure in 2018. The former player will take over after the departure of Ron Washington, who left the position for health reasons last July. The now-leader was part of the general manager’s advisory team Perry Minasian, and already had a close relationship with the organization, both for his experience as an advisor for the last three years and for having played his last two seasons (2021-2022) with the Angels before retiring as an active player.

“Kurt is a natural leader and knows our culture from within. His work ethic and experience behind the plate will be key to the team’s future,” Minasian said in the official announcement.

During his 16-season Major League career, Suzuki wore the uniforms of the Athletics, Nationals, Twins, Braves, and Angels, participating in 1,635 games and accumulating a .255 average, with 143 home runs and 730 RBIs. He was selected to the All-Star Game in 2014 and was part of the 2019 World Series champion team with the Washington Nationals. Although it will be his first experience as a manager at a professional level, Suzuki is recognized for his leadership and knowledge of the game. He will have the responsibility of forming a new coaching staff, with the option of keeping some members of the previous group. The Angels highlighted that the decision comes after an exhaustive process in which Pujols and Torii Hunter were also considered, who, like Suzuki, held advisory roles in the organization. With this designation, the Angels seek stability in management after several changes in recent years and hope that Suzuki can guide the team towards a new competitive stage.