Albert Pujols no longer a candidate in Angels managerial search

Albert Pujols is no longer considered a candidate for Angels manager, a team source told The Athletic Monday. There had been mutual interest in hiring the former great, but the two sides could not get close on dollars and years, the source said.

While nothing is ever 100 percent with Angels owner Arte Moreno, and circumstances could evolve once again, it is believed to be very unlikely that the two sides would find common ground.

The Angels will now turn their attention toward other candidates. Another former Angel, Torii Hunter, remains a candidate, though he is not considered a slam dunk.

The team has also wanted to speak with ex-managers like Brandon Hyde and Rocco Baldelli, though it is unclear if there is any mutual interest. Another former Angels player, Kurt Suzuki, is also in the mix. Suzuki, like Hunter, currently works as a special assistant to Angels GM Perry Minasian.

It was just 11 days ago that Pujols met with Minasian in St. Louis to discuss the job. The conversation went well, sources said, and strong momentum had been building toward a contract. At the time, he was the only candidate receiving serious consideration.

It’s unclear exactly what both sides’ expectations were to get a deal done. The Angels are still on the hook to pay Pujols $7 million over the next seven years as part of the personal services contract he signed with the club.

Pujols signed that post-retirement contract as an add-on to the 10-year, $240 million contract with the Angels in 2012. Pujols played 10 seasons for the Angels before being released in May of 2021.