Los Angeles Angels hire 71-year-old Ron Washington as manager

The Los Angeles Angels have appointed Ron Washington as their new manager on a two-year contract, the team announced on Wednesday. He will be introduced at a press conference next week.

"I'm lost for words, but not the work it will take!" Washington, 71, told the Associated Press. The veteran hasn't managed any team since 2014, when he parted ways with the Texas Rangers. During his seven-year tenure, the team made the World Series twice in 2010 and 2011.

Perry Minasian, general manager of the Angels, knew Washington from their time working together in the Atlanta Braves between 2017 and 2020. Minasian was the team's assistant GM. Meanwhile, Washington served as their third-base coach until 2023. He was a member of the Braves when they won the World Series title in 2021.

"He's everything you could want; he deserves the opportunity," the Braves' president of baseball operations and GM Alex Anthopoulos said of Washington. "He's excited. Obviously, I'm excited for him. It's a huge loss for us. I emphasize that in caps, bold, italicized, all of it. Huge void. But I had six years with him, and I can't imagine I'll be around a guy like that in my entire career."

Washington will become the oldest manager of the major league and its second Black manager after 74-year-old Dusty Baker retired. He is also the fifth manager of the Angels in seven years. The frequency of changes in that position has matched their struggling performance over the years. The last time they were in the playoffs was in 2014, and the last time they won a playoff game was in 2009.

Washington's focus as the Angels' manager will depend on whether they can keep their ace, Shohei Ohtani, during the offseason. Ohtani became an unrestricted free agent and will have teams in line to offer him likely the biggest deal anyone has ever seen in baseball history. If he stays, the Angels will be more motivated to enhance their roster soon; if he leaves, they may need to put rebuilding on their agenda.