Source: Pujols, Angels discuss managerial opening

Future Hall of Fame archetypal baseman Albert Pujols met with Los Angeles Angels wide manager Perry Minasian astir the team's managerial vacancy successful St. Louis connected Thursday night, a root acquainted with the process told ESPN connected Friday, confirming an archetypal study by The Athletic.

A ceremonial connection has not been made, sources cautioned, though Pujols has been considered a premier campaigner ever since the Angels declined the 2026 enactment connected manager Ron Washington's declaration past week.

Pujols, 45, has expressed beardown involvement successful managing astatine the large league level for years and led a Dominican wintertime shot team, the Leones del Escogido, to a title successful January. Pujols was antecedently named manager for his autochthonal Dominican Republic successful adjacent year's World Baseball Classic, though helium would apt rescind that relation if helium lands a large league occupation this offseason.

The Angels are 1 of six teams looking for caller managers astatine the moment. Other clubs person inquired connected Pujols, though the Angels are the lone squad helium has formally met astir managing frankincense far.

Pujols signed a 10-year, $240 cardinal declaration with the Angels successful December of 2011 that included a 10-year, $10 cardinal personal-services declaration that kicked successful aft helium retired. What becomes of that woody would apt beryllium portion of immoderate fiscal negotiations that would inevitably instrumentality spot with the Angels.

Pujols has been a peculiar impermanent teacher astatine Angels outpouring grooming each of the past 3 years and is considered a premier campaigner by some Minasian, who held him successful precocious respect adjacent aft releasing him successful May of 2021, and Angels proprietor Arte Moreno.

One of the top players of the 2000s, Pujols won 3 MVPs and 2 World Series championships successful a 22-year vocation that included 70 location runs, 2,218 RBIs and 3,384 hits. All of his champion years came successful St. Louis, but the Angels could springiness him his archetypal changeable to manage.