11x All-Star Albert Pujols Being Reported to Be Named Next LA Angels Manager Has Fans Fuming: “This Is Not the Move”

As per reports from Ken Rosenthal, Albert Pujols is the leading choice for the managerial position of the LA Angels in the eyes of team owner Arte Moreno.

11x All-Star Albert Pujols Being Reported to Be Named Next LA Angels Manager Has Fans Fuming: “This Is Not the Move”

Albert Pujols (Image via NBC Sports)

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There seems to be a potential reunion on the cards between the Los Angeles Angels and Albert Pujols. As per reports, the 11-time MLB All-Star is interviewing for the vacant managerial job and is seen as the “leading choice” in the eyes of the team owner, Arte Moreno.

The Angels had Ron Washington at the helm in the 2025 season. However, in the middle of the season, the 73-year-old stepped aside from his position due to health issues. Ray Montgomery was later named as the interim manager of the team.

The Angels had another disappointing season and finished with a 72-90 record. Washington was 36-38, while Montgomery went 36-52. On Tuesday, the Angels announced that Washington’s 2026 club option will not be picked.

With this development, the Anaheim-based outfit is now in search of a new manager. As per reports from MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, Pujols is the lead candidate for this vacant position.

After 11 successful seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he won 2 World Series titles in 2006 and 2011, and 3 MVP awards, Pujols joined the Angels on a then record-breaking 10-year $240 million deal.

In his 10 seasons with the Angels, the 1st baseman hit 222 home runs, including his 500th and 600th home runs. He also crossed the 3,000 hit mark while donning the white and red of the Angels.

After spending 1 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pujols returned to the Cardinals for his final year in 2022. He would turn back the clock that year and hit his 700th home run, becoming just the 4th player in MLB history to reach the 700-home run mark after Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, and Babe Ruth.

Upon his retirement, he would rejoin the Angels as a special assistant to the team as a part of the 10-year personal services contract. He has gained some managerial experience by leading the Leones del Escogido to both the Dominican Professional Baseball League and the Caribbean Series titles earlier in 2025.

Social media reacts to Albert Pujols being lead choice of manager for Los Angeles Angels

After spending more than 2 decades as a player, Albert Pujols is now eyeing to return to MLB as a manager. He is reported to be the favorite to land the job as the new manager of the Los Angeles Angels for the next season.

Albert Pujols
Albert Pujols (Image via MLB)

While Pujols will likely be a first ballot Hall of Famer when the time comes, his managerial experience has caused some stir on social media. Fans do not seem happy with this development. One user wrote, “This is not the right move” while disagreeing with the thought of the 45-year-old being named as the new manager.

Check out that and some more reactions from X below:

The Angels, though, are not the only teams looking for a new manager. The Minnesota Twins, the San Francisco Giants, the Texas Rangers, and the Atlanta Braves have all parted ways with their managers following the end of the 2025 season.

Mike Trout once expressed that Albert Pujols could become a good manager

Albert Pujols could likely make his MLB managerial debut next season with the Los Angeles Angels. A few months ago, one of his former teammate, Mike Trout, envisioned him leading a team and expressed that he could become a good manager.

Albert Pujols and Mike Trout
Albert Pujols and Mike Trout (Image via ESPN)

Pujols served as a mentor to a young Trout back in the day. The 3-time American League MVP expressed that Pujols helped him a lot during their time together as teammates.

I think he’d be a good manager. Just the way he interacts with players. I watched him over the offseason down in the Dominican and he won a few things now. It would be pretty cool to play for him.

Mike Trout said as per MLB.com

The job of managing the Angels will not be an easy one, though. This season marked the 11th straight year that they had missed the playoffs. If Pujols is elected as the manager, reaching the postseason will be one of the biggest aims of the team.

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