The Los Angeles Angels announced Wednesday that Kurt Suzuki will not return as the team's manager next season. The decision comes after the Angels wrapped up Suzuki's first year at the helm with a franchise-record 100 losses, a somber milestone for the Anaheim-based club.
The Angels declined their 2027 club option on Suzuki, who guided the team to a 62-100 record this season. With this move, the organization will now begin the search for a new manager and coaching staff. Suzuki, a former Angels catcher who initially signed a one-year contract last October, has been offered a position to stay with the organization as a special assistant.
This past season's performance marked a significant decline from the previous year, with the Angels finishing 10 games worse than their 2025 record under managers Ron Washington and Ray Montgomery. The team's previous record for losses in a single season was 99, set just the year before in 2024. Interim general manager John Mozeliak issued a statement regarding the decision, noting that “Kurt has earned tremendous respect in our clubhouse, and I’ve seen firsthand how much he cares about our players.” Mozeliak added that he did not believe the team’s record this year was a true reflection of Suzuki's abilities as a manager, expressing pleasure that Suzuki was offered a new role where his knowledge of players and perspective could remain valuable. Mozeliak also extended thanks to the entire coaching staff for their professionalism during a difficult season, indicating some staff members have also been offered positions within the organization.
Despite the team's overall struggles, the starting pitching staff showed signs of improvement under Suzuki's leadership. The rotation, which included Reid Detmers, Walbert Urena, Grayson Rodriguez, and Jose Soriano before he was traded, posted a 4.14 earned-run average. This figure ranked 12th best in Major League Baseball, a notable step up from the 4.91 ERA that placed 28th in 2025.
Suzuki's departure adds another chapter to a period of frequent change for the Angels. His successor will become the team’s sixth manager since Mike Scioscia concluded his lengthy 19-year tenure following the 2018 season. The move also precedes an anticipated change in ownership, with Stan Kroenke expected to take control of the franchise from Arte Moreno in the first quarter of 2027. For long-suffering fans, the team’s struggles continue; the Angels have not reached the postseason since 2014 and have not won a playoff game since 2009, which was also the last time they captured the American League West title.
Suzuki’s professional baseball career included 16 major league seasons playing for five different franchises, and he was a member of the Washington Nationals team that won the 2019 World Series. He spent his final two playing seasons with the Angels in 2021 and 2022 before serving three years as a special assistant to then-general manager Perry Minasian. He was hired as manager last October, taking over from the leadership arrangement that included Washington and Montgomery during the 2025 season.
