Los Angeles Angels hire Ron Washington as new manager
Ron Washington is the new manager of the Los Angeles Angels, the team announced Wednesday.
The 71-year-old had been the Atlanta Braves' third-base coach since October 2016. Before that, he spent eight seasons as manager of the Texas Rangers from 2007 to 2014. During his tenure in Texas, he led the team to an 18-16 postseason record and claimed two American League pennants.
OFFICIAL: the Angels have hired Ron Washington as the Club’s manager. pic.twitter.com/NGWV6X10PW
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) November 8, 2023
With Washington's guidance, Atlanta's infield defense was heralded among the best in the majors. The former infielder is known for his in-depth and persistent infield defensive sessions.
A core member of the Braves clubhouse, his one-on-one instruction was highly regarded. An example can be seen in the video below:
WashWisdom™️ in action.@soncaballos mic'd up and working with Ron Washington is the good stuff 🔊 pic.twitter.com/1f072RZTrv
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) March 25, 2023
Los Angeles decided to move on from Phil Nevin last month. The former first baseman led the Angels, his hometown team, for one and a half seasons. He recorded a 119-149 record and no playoff appearances.
The Angels reportedly met with Washington on Tuesday. Based on Wednesday's news, that likely wasn't the first interview. But when general manager Perry Minasian was asked about the hiring process on Tuesday, he seemed to have a certain candidate in mind.
“There are certain people that have earned different things,” Minasian said at the GM meetings via The Orange County Register. “Whether it be through their coaching style, whether it be through their playing style, but when they walk in the room, you know they’re there. When they speak, people listen. That’s something that we’re trying to identify.”
Minasian referenced Bruce Bochy as an example, after the 68-year-old took the reins of the Texas Rangers and led them to their first World Series title in his first year.
The general manager also spoke about the seriousness of the decision in response to a question about the timeline to fill the vacancy. With that in mind, the decision to hire Washington a day later speaks volumes about the organization's belief in his ability to lead the team to new heights.
