Phil Nevin, who was on a one-year contract as Angels manager, will not return for 2024, the club announced on Monday.
General Manager Perry Minasian, whose job status was also in question, is set to speak to the media via Zoom on Tuesday.
Nevin, 52, had a 119-149 record as Angels manager after taking over as the interim manager when Joe Maddon was fired in June 2022. The Angels were 73-89 in 2023, which was Nevin’s only full year on the job.
The search for a new manager begins immediately, the Angels said.
Two internal candidates – bench coach Ray Montgomery and infield coach Benji Gil – would be obvious options. Montgomery was the No. 2 in charge under Nevin, taking over when he was suspended. Gil has managed in Mexico, and he managed Team Mexico earlier this year in the World Baseball Classic.
Buck Showalter, who was just let go by the New York Mets, could also be a candidate if the Angels want to go with an experienced manager. Minasian worked under Showalter with the Texas Rangers. The Angels interviewed Showalter before Joe Maddon was hired in 2019.
Nevin is a Cal State Fullerton product who played 12 years in the majors, including with the Angels. Nevin managed for six years at Triple-A before getting his first opportunity in the majors. He said managing the Angels was his “dream job,” because he was “at home.”
Players universally lauded Nevin, who declined to comment on being let go, for the way he handled them.
“I love Phil,” three-time American League MVP Mike Trout said last week. “I love playing for Phil. He takes care of his guys. He wants the best for the team.”
Right-hander Griffin Canning also endorsed Nevin last week.
“Phil’s great,” Canning said. “I love him. He’s a player’s coach for sure. Stands up for his guys and does the right thing. So it’s fun to play for him.”
The results, however, did not work in Nevin’s favor. When Nevin took over for Maddon last year, the Angels were two games under .500, and they finished 73-89.
Nevin nonetheless received a one-year deal to manage the team in 2023, perhaps because at that time owner Arte Moreno was investigating a sale, and the Angels wanted to defer the decision on the manager until a new owner was in place.
This year the Angels struggled with injuries and poor performance from throughout the roster.
“You go home and you look in the mirror and try to get better,” Nevin said before Sunday’s season finale. “I certainly will. And no part of it is going to be we had injuries. We had this and that. They’re all major league players, all major league coaches and training staff and (strength and conditioning). Gotta find a way to get better.”
When Nevin was asked about what he could have done differently, he spoke in general terms about ways he could improve.
“I think about that every night,” he said. “Anytime we lose. Even when we win. You sit there and say, I could play different guys. However the games go. I’ve been like that since I started playing, when I was a kid. I don’t think anybody gets to this level without those traits, those qualities. We all try to get better every day. It’s not just at the baseball field. It’s being a dad. Your family. Everything. This is just part of that.”
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