The Los Angeles Angels announced Wednesday that they have declined the option on manager Kurt Suzuki's contract for 2027 and will search for a new skipper and coaching staff. The Angels offered him a position to stay in the organization as a special assistant.
OFFICIAL: The Angels announced that the Club has declined the option in Kurt Suzuki’s contract and, in coordination with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, will search for a new manager and coaching staff for the 2027 season. pic.twitter.com/RExo0C19az
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) October 21, 2026
The Angels hired Suzuki, a former Minnesota Twins All-Star catcher, as their manager last offseason. In Suzuki's lone season as Los Angeles' skipper, the Angels finished last in the American League West with a 62-100 record.
Now that Suzuki isn't returning as the Angels manager, a new potential landing spot has opened up for former Twins manager Rocco Baldelli.
Baldelli managed the Twins from 2019-25. Minnesota fired Baldelli after the 2025 season despite having him under contract through 2026. The Twins replaced Baldelli with former Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton.
The firing of Baldelli was one of many major changes to the Twins brass last offseason. Additionally, Minnesota parted ways with president Derek Falvey, and Tom Pohlad succeeded his younger brother Joe as the organization's control person.
The Los Angeles Dodgers hired Baldelli as a special assistant to president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman ahead of the 2026 season. Baldelli had previously worked with Friedman at the Tampa Bay Rays.
Mariners reportedly have interest in former Twins manager Rocco Baldelli
It's unclear if the Angels are interested in Baldelli. Even if they are, they may not be able to hire the former Twins manager, as the Seattle Mariners are interested in hiring him as their manager, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
The Mariners are a much more attractive team to manage than the Angels. Sure, the Mariners missed the postseason this year, but they are in a much better spot than the Angels. Seattle nearly reached the World Series last year, making it all the way to Game 7 of the ALCS against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Mariners fired manager Dan Wilson after finishing the season with a 76-86 record.
The Twins saw plenty of success under Baldelli, making the playoffs in three of his seven years as clubhouse leader. That's less than 50%, but it's not really his fault the team struggled so much after the 2023 season, when Minnesota won its first postseason series in 21 years. After 2023, the Twins slashed payroll by roughly $30 million. Then, the Twins had the infamous 2025 trade-deadline fire sale, in which they dealt nearly 40% of the roster. It's hard to blame Baldelli for the Twins' shortcomings. Given the Mariners' interest in him, many around the league seem to feel the same way.
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