Angels Tap Veteran Catcher Suzuki as New Manager

In a move to revitalize their struggling franchise, the Los Angeles Angels have decided to hire former major league catcher Kurt Suzuki as their new manager. Suzuki, who has spent the past 3 seasons as a special assistant to Angels general manager Perry Minasian, will be taking over the team's dugout.

The 42-year-old Suzuki, who played 16 seasons in the majors and won a World Series with the Washington Nationals in 2019, will be the Angels' fifth full-time manager in the past 8 seasons. He replaces Ron Washington, who was not brought back after 2 losing seasons, including the current campaign where he missed the second half due to undergoing quadruple bypass heart surgery.

The Angels have been mired in a decade-long slump, with 10 consecutive losing seasons and 11 straight years without a playoff appearance. Despite assembling a modestly exciting young core led by shortstop Zach Neto and outfielder Jo Adell to complement three-time MVP Mike Trout, the team has shown few signs of emerging from their profound struggles under owner Arte Moreno's stewardship.

Suzuki, a fourth-generation Japanese-American from Hawaii, will look to turn the Angels' fortunes around and end their 10-year losing streak. He joins a short list of former and current MLB managers with Asian heritage, including Don Wakamatsu and Dave Roberts.