Angels Hire Kurt Suzuki on One-Year Deal

Kurt Suzuki, a 16-year MLB catcher and World Series champion from Maui, was introduced as the Los Angeles Angels' new manager, becoming the first Hawaii-born manager in MLB. The Angels gave Suzuki a one-year contract with multiple options — a prove-it arrangement GM Perry Minasian said ties their fates together — and reports say owner Arte Moreno's reluctance to carry managerial salary amid a potential lockout shaped the short-term deal. Minasian has informed most current coaches they will not be retained for 2026, signaling Suzuki will likely assemble an almost entirely new staff or shift coaches into player-development roles. Suzuki had been a special assistant to Minasian since 2023 and has no prior professional coaching experience. He inherits a franchise mired in a long playoff drought and losing seasons, with a strong offense (including Mike Trout, Zach Neto, Jo Adell and Taylor Ward) but clear pitching holes, a shallow farm system and immediate pressure to show progress.