Angels Have Made Decision on Ron Washington's Future as Manager

Will Washington stay for next season?

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Angels are retaining Ron Washington as their manager, general manager Perry Minasian confirmed, via Jeff Fletcher of the OC Register. The Angels have decided to stick with Washington even after the team finished with the worst record in franchise history, going 63-99 on the season.

“He was perfect, for me,” Minasian said of Washington. “Obviously, we want to win more games. But as far as what my vision for that spot needed to be, first and foremost, accountability is No. 1. And creating accountability in that room. Creating expectations in that room. Creating a work ethic in that room. Teaching, from a game standpoint, from situation to situation. That’s for our staff too.”

Minasian said that continuity is important him, adding to the decision to keep Washington. The Angels have prioritized continuity late this season, when they signed Minasian to a two-year contract extension in August.

While the Angels were unsuccessful under Washington this season, it was only Washington's first season with the team. For a team that lost one of their best players in Shohei Ohtani during the offseason, and their other top player Mike Trout early in the season because of a torn meniscus, Washington did not have much of a chance for success this season.

Washington has previously seen success when he was the manager of the Texas Rangers from 2007-14. Even then, it took two years for Washington to take the Rangers to second place in their division, and four seasons to bring them to the postseason. The Rangers finished either second or first in the American League West for six straight seasons under Washington, and won the division twice. They also advanced to the World Series twice under Washington, though they lost both.

Washington was unable to have much of a positive impact in Year 1, but firing him likely wouldn't fix the problem or help the Angels improve. This continuity will ideally allow the Angels to make progress next season, especially around their young core.

Of course, the Angels will need to bring on more talent to actually see their team improve under Washington. The organization has been criticized for not bringing in many high-end free agents and players, and losing a player of Ohtani's caliber. Without improving their roster, it's hard to see the Angels making significant strides in the future.

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