The Los Angeles Angels began their offseason of expected upheaval Wednesday by announcing that Kurt Suzuki will not return as manager in 2027.
In his first season at the helm of the Angels, Suzuki guided the team to a 62-100 record, leaving the franchise with its first 100-loss season in its 65-year history.
Suzuki, 43, was only signed to a one-year contract with an option for 2027 when he took the job. He offered a spot to remain within the franchise as a special assistant.
The announcement was made by Angels baseball operations consultant John Mozeliak, who took over daily operations of the club when general manager Perry Minasian was fired in June.
“Kurt has earned tremendous respect in our clubhouse, and I’ve seen firsthand how much he cares about our players,” Mozeliak said in a statement. “I do not believe our record this year was a true reflection of his abilities as a manager. I’m pleased we were able to offer Kurt a role to stay on as a special assistant, where his knowledge of our players and his perspective would continue to be valuable to the organization.”
After attending Cal State Fullerton, a short drive from Angel Stadium, Suzuki batted .255 with 143 home runs and 730 RBIs over 1,635 games and 16 seasons for five different clubs, including seven seasons with the Athletics and two with the Angels. He was an All-Star for the Minnesota Twins in 2014.
The franchise currently is undergoing an ownership change after Arte Moreno sold the club for a reported $4 billion to Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, which also owns the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams, the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche and the MLS’s Colorado Rapids, among other sports holdings.
The sale was agreed to in September but is not expected to become official until the first quarter of 2027.
Mozeliak said that some members of the coaching staff were offered positions to remain in the organization but did not reveal any specifics.