ANAHEIM — Kurt Suzuki is starting his managerial career on the hot seat.
When the Angels introduced Suzuki as their new manager on Wednesday, General Manager Perry Minasian said they signed the 42-year-old first-time manager to a one-year deal.
“I’ve been playing on one-year deals my whole career,” Suzuki joked.
It’s unusual for a new manager to start with a one-year deal, but Suzuki said he understood.
“You see all these guys that come back from injury, and they take one-year deals to prove themselves, that they can do the job,” Suzuki said. “Like I said, I feel I had to prove myself every single year that I played. This is no different. I feel like I have to prove myself that I can do the job. I feel like everybody was a first-year manager at some point, and they have to prove they can do the job to do it again. I don’t see this as being any different.”
Suzuki’s deal does include an undisclosed number of “multiple” options. Minasian, who has one year and an option left on his deal, said he and Suzuki are in this together.
Minasian, however, didn’t express a hint of question about Suzuki’s readiness for the job.
“I expect him to be here for a long time,” Minasian said. “I expect him to do this job really well.”
Minasian, who has known Suzuki since their days together with the Atlanta Braves, said he interviewed multiple other candidates, including some who had previous major league managing experience. Minasian said it was up to the individuals to decide if they wanted to reveal that they had interviewed.
Former Angels players Albert Pujols and Torii Hunter – who are both currently employed by the Angels – were the only known candidates. Although there were reports that Pujols was the favorite until he and the Angels had differences over the job, Minasian obviously said nothing to suggest that Suzuki was a second or third choice.
“This is the best hire we could have made,” Minasian said.
The test will come when Suzuki tries to get the Angels back to contention after 10 straight losing seasons and an 11-year playoff drought.
Since Mike Scioscia stepped down following the 2018 season, the Angels have gone through Brad Ausmus, Joe Maddon, Phil Nevin, Ron Washington and Ray Montgomery.
Suzuki answered vaguely when asked – multiple times – what he could bring to this role that would allow him to succeed where his predecessors failed.
“I have confidence in my abilities,” Suzuki said. “I have confidence in my ability to relate to players on every different level and what I bring to the table. … I’m just looking forward to this opportunity to create something special here in Anaheim that wasn’t happening the last how many years.
“I feel like there are great pieces. I feel like being around here the last few years, seeing what Perry has done, seeing the players that he has drafted, has acquired, seeing the talent that we have in the minor leagues, talking to (minor league director Joey Prebynski), seeing what we have down there. I feel like there’s potential.”
One of the biggest reasons the Angels have not met their potential is that the pitching staff has come up short of expectations. The Angels have ranked toward the bottom of the majors in ERA each of the past three seasons.
The Angels ranked ninth in the majors in ERA in 2022, which happened to be Suzuki’s last year as an active player. Minasian doesn’t believe that’s a coincidence, and he’s hoping that Suzuki can bring some of what he brought behind the plate to help get more out of the current pitchers.
“Obviously, he’s had a lot of success developing pitchers, and that’s something we’re going to have to do here,” Minasian said.
For the past three years, Suzuki has been working as a special assistant to Minasian. Although he’s spent some time in uniform with the major league team, in spring training, and in Arizona, he’s mostly been watching from afar.
“Trying to understand how to get the best out of each player, that’s what excites me,” Suzuki said. “Obviously, you play this game to win also, but what excites me is being able to help kids reach their potential. That’s what I’ve kind of noticed in the front the front office the last three years. How can we get these kids to reach their potential? And just kind of thinking about that every single day for the last three years, it kind of gave me a little bit of an itch (to return to the field).”
Assembling the coaching staff that will help Suzuki do that is the next item on the agenda. Minasian said they’ve just begun the process. The Angels still could bring back some of the coaches from the previous staff.
Although they won nine more games in 2025 than they did in 2024, they were still out of contention for most of the season. Barring a surprising spending spree from owner Arte Moreno this winter, the Angels will still go into next year with most of the baseball world penciling them in for another losing record.
Suzuki, whose job depends on defying those expectations, goes into the season with a mix of optimism and realism.
“Obviously, I think it would be almost irresponsible of me to say we’re close, or put expectations that way,” Suzuki said. “I know the kids are going to get better every single day when we get this thing rolling. And wherever that leads them, it leads them.”
NOTES
Minasian said the Angels still don’t know the status of right-handed relief pitcher Robert Stephenson, who is awaiting opinions on his injured right elbow. “Nothing to report yet,” Minasian said. “We should have something fairly soon.” …
The Angels opened five spots on their 40-man roster. Infielders Logan Davidson and Carter Kieboom were outrighted to Triple-A Salt Lake. Kieboom then elected free agency. Right-handers Connor Brogdon and Carson Fulmer were also outrighted to Triple-A. Left-hander Sammy Peralta was claimed on waivers by the Milwaukee Brewers.