Although the upcoming free company of Shohei Ohtani stays the most important story of the offseason in Anaheim, the membership parted methods with supervisor Phil Nevin on the finish of the 2023 marketing campaign, main the membership to start a seek for his substitute. The search has already turned up a handful of candidates together with recently-fired Mets supervisor Buck Showalter, who has each expressed curiosity within the job and seen that curiosity reciprocated by Angels brass. Infield coach Benji Gil and longtime Angels outfielder Darin Erstad have additionally beforehand been floated as potential candidates for the place.
USA Immediately’s Bob Nightengale supplied an replace on the membership’s managerial search this morning, and in doing so put forth three extra candidates: five-time All Star Torii Hunter, who patrolled the outfield in Anaheim for 5 seasons; 1993 Rookie of the Yr Tim Salmon, who spent his complete 14-year huge league profession with the Angels; and veteran coach Ron Roenicke, who spent seven seasons as a 3rd base coach in Anaheim underneath Mike Scioscia.
Nightengale offers specific point out to Hunter, noting that the 48-year-old is “tremendously regarded” by Angels proprietor Arte Moreno. Moreno is understood to be among the many most hands-on homeowners within the sport, so his endorsement would absolutely be a notable piece of any managerial candidate’s resume. That being mentioned, Hunter lacks expertise within the dugout past his taking part in profession, which might battle with the Angels’ previously-reported desire for an skilled supervisor to take over in Nevin’s stead. Salmon faces the same roadblock, although he’s served as head coach of Scottsdale Christian Academy in Phoenix since 2015.
If the Angels are valuing expertise of their managerial search, Roenicke definitely suits the invoice. Along with his aforementioned tenure with the Angels as a 3rd base coach and an eight-year taking part in profession within the majors, the 67-year-old has served as supervisor for each the Brewers and Purple Sox previously, whereas additionally serving as a coach with the Dodgers and in Boston all through his post-playing profession. He at present serves as a particular assistant within the Dodgers’ entrance workplace. Nightengale means that Roenicke, together with Gil and Showalter, could also be in line for formal interviews with the membership. It’s unclear if Hunter would even be in line for a possible interview, although Nightengale experiences Erstad and Salmon’s candidacies as merely having been “mentioned” by Angels brass.
Whoever finally takes the reins of the Angels dugout this offseason, they’ll have their work reduce out for them in 2024. The Angels completed with similar 73-89 data in each 2022 and 2023, and are liable to dropping a famous person, two-way expertise in Ohtani this offseason. Even when the membership manages to retain Ohtani, he gained’t pitch in 2024, leaving the membership with a emptiness on the entrance of the rotation on prime of holes to fill within the bullpen. Whereas the membership has a stable place participant group, it lacks depth that’s significantly vital for a membership that’s seen frequent journeys to the injured record for Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon, and different veteran gamers in current seasons.
