Albert Pujols gaining momentum in Angels manager search

It’s becoming more likely that Albert Pujols will be returning to the Angels next season — this time as the team’s skipper.

Pujols, 45, met with Angels general manager Perry Minasian on Thursday to have preliminary discussions about the team’s opening at the helm, The Athletic reported Friday.

A league source told the outlet that the meeting went well, though there has yet to be an official agreement.

Pujols has also been the preferred choice of Angels owner Arte Moreno, with sources saying that it is the three-time NL MVP’s choice of whether he wants the job.

The former 11-time All-Star spent 10 seasons as a player for the Angels, hitting 222 home runs.

Pujols has also expressed interest in managing an MLB ballclub, having spent time at the helm in the Dominican Winter League and for the Dominican National Team in the World Baseball Classic.

His meeting with Minasian comes just days after the Angels ousted both Ron Washington and interim manager Ray Montgomery following an abysmal 72-90 record this season.

Washington, 73, was away from the team since June as he underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery.

During an interview in September, however, Washington — who started managing the team in 2024 — insisted that Los Angeles’ decision not to pick up his 2026 option was not due to his health, but rather the Angels’ play.

“You know, when you’re a competitor, and you’re in charge, none of that stuff comes into play,” Washington told The Athletic. “Sometimes you’ve got to make chicken salad out of chicken s–t.”

Washington added that he did not get the chance to speak with Moreno before being let go.

“I have to accept that,” Washington said. “I can’t go back to argue with them to try and tell them different when they’ve made a decision. … We were starting to perform better.”