In what seemed like a match made in heaven from the start, Joe Maddon is headed back to Anaheim. On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Angels announced that Maddon has been hired as their next manager, replacing Brad Ausmus, who was fired after just one year of having the job.
Maddon reportedly received a three-year contract worth $12 million, with the ability to earn up to $15 million. He will be formally introduced by Los Angeles at a press conference sometime next week.
“We are thrilled that Joe is coming back home and bringing an exciting brand of baseball to our fans,” said Angels general manager Billy Eppler. “Every stop he has made throughout his managerial career, he has built a culture that is focused on winning while also allowing his players to thrive. We believe Joe will be a great asset for our club and look forward to him leading the team to another World Series championship.”
Maddon, who spent the last five seasons managing the Chicago Cubs, leading them to a World Series victory in 2016, now has a new team to manage but with an organization he’s incredibly familiar with. He spent 31 years with the Angels organization, working at nearly every level as a player, scout, coach, or manager.
He was a big-league coach serving under five different managers, including Mike Scioscia in 2002 when the Angels captured their first and only World Series championship. He even served as the interim manager twice; in 1996 and again in 1999.
Moving On Quickly
On the final day of the regular season, the Cubs officially announced they would not be renewing Maddon’s contract, which expired at the end of this season. The following day, the Angels announced they were parting ways with Ausmus.
Since then, Maddon has been the heavy favorite to land with Los Angeles. Veteran managers Buck Showalter and John Farrell, as well as Padres hitting coach Johnny Washington, also interviewed for the position.
“I could not be more excited to come back home and manage this great organization,” said Maddon, a three-time Manager of the Year, in a statement. “I was lucky enough to be a part of the first Angels team to win a World Series title, and I look forward to the opportunity to bring Angel fans their second championship.”
In Need Of A Lift
After successful stints in Tampa Bay and Chicago, Maddon now takes over a team that desperately needs optimism. Los Angeles finished 72-90, their worst record since 1999 when Maddon took over on an interim basis for fired manager Terry Collins.
There is also the dark cloud surrounding the death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs, where team employees were allegedly aware of his opioid use prior to his death on July 1. Should the allegations be proven true, the organization could face significant sanctions from Major League Baseball.
It is up to Maddon, along with stars Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, to lead the Angels back to the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Eppler will be aggressive in the offseason to improve the club around that core, with Astros ace Gerrit Cole their primary target in free agency.
Los Angeles is currently being given 100/1 odds to win next year’s World Series.
