The Los Angeles Angels will have a new manager in 2026. The Angels decided not to pick up the option on manager Ron Washington’s contract, a team source told The Athletic. Interim manager Ray Montgomery will not be brought back to lead the clubhouse, though he could remain in the organization.
No official determination has been made on general manager Perry Minasian’s status, the source said. Minasian still has one year remaining on the two-year contract extension he received in August 2024.
Washington managed the Angels for one-plus seasons but was sidelined for this season in June to undergo quadruple bypass surgery. He told The Athletic last week that he that he expects to be fully recovered in December, and that he’d hoped to return to manage the Angels.
The Angels finished off a 72-90 season on Sunday, a year removed from a franchise-worst 63-99 record in 2024. The team hasn’t had a winning season since 2015, and owns an the longest postseason drought in MLB (11 seasons).
The Angels have not had a manager’s tenure extend for three seasons since Mike Sciocia’s 19-year run as Angels skipper ended in 2018. Since then, the team has employed Brad Ausmus (one season), Joe Maddon (two-plus seasons), Phil Nevin (one-plus seasons), Washington (one-plus seasons) and Montgomery, who managed the back half of the 2025 campaign.
Washington, 73, has indicated he will look to continue his coaching career. When asked on Friday if he would be open to a front office advisor role, he said no.
“I’m a hands-on guy,” Washington said. “And that’s not gonna stop. I’m the one that’s gonna decide when I’m not hands-on.”
Montgomery previously served as the scouting director for both the Milwaukee Brewers and Arizona Diamondbacks, before joining the Angels’ front office in 2021 when Minasian was hired. He’s served as the bench coach for Maddon, Nevin and Washington. If Minasian is retained as the GM, it’s possible that Montgomery will stay in the organization on the front office or player development side, the source said.
Minasian typically holds an end-of-season press conference the day after the regular season. The team has postponed that availability indefinitely, though the GM is expected to speak some time before the end of the week.
(Photo: Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)
