The Los Angeles Angels fired manager Brad Ausmus on Monday after just one season.
Ausmus guided the team to a 72-90 record this season. Los Angeles finished 35 games behind the American League West champion Houston Astros and failed to make the playoffs for the fifth straight year.
The Athletic reported earlier this week that the team would be interested in moving on from Ausmus if it could hire Joe Maddon. On Sunday, Maddon and the Chicago Cubs announced that the sides are mutually parting ways as his contract expires.
Ausmus, 50, was hired by Los Angeles last October after being an assistant to general manager Billy Eppler in 2018. He had previously managed the Detroit Tigers from 2014-17, going 314-332.
Ausmus was hired to replace Mike Scioscia, who spent 19 years leading the Angels, including to a World Series title in 2002.
“I want to thank Brad for his hard work and dedication to this organization over the last two seasons as both a special assistant and field manager. He navigated this franchise through one of its most difficult seasons with class and professionalism,” Eppler said. “This was an incredibly difficult decision but after significant consideration, we’ve decided it is necessary to go in another direction.”
Maddon was with the Angels’ organization in various capacities — including as a player, scout, coach and interim manager — from 1975 to 2005. As interim manager, he went 27-24 across two separate stints in 1996 and 1999.
Maddon has since spent nine years leading Tampa Bay and five leading Chicago, including winning a World Series title with the Cubs in 2016. He has a career record of 1,252-1,068.
–Field Level Media
