Angels interim manager Phil Nevin told reporters (including The Athletic’s Sam Blum) that he hasn’t yet had any talks with the front office about remaining in the job for the 2023 season. Nevin moved from third base coach to the interim skipper’s role after Joe Maddon was fired in June, and the Angels have a 44-57 record under Nevin’s stewardship, though between injuries and some imperfect roster construction, it can be argued that Nevin hasn’t had much to work with in trying to get the Halos on track.
The manager’s job is one of many questions facing the Angels this offseason, with the franchise’s possible sale acting as the overhanging influence on every decision. There has been some speculation that this uncertainty could benefit Nevin’s chances, as The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal has written that the Angels could prefer to just retain Nevin rather than sign another manager to a multi-year contract this winter (thus leaving a new owner with that deal on the books, when that owner might naturally prefer to make their own choice at skipper). The front office’s lack of contact with Nevin might not necessarily be a sign that he isn’t a candidate, as GM Perry Minasian and owner Arte Moreno might just be waiting until the offseason to conduct a proper search.
More from around the American League…
- Amidst a difficult Red Sox season, Matt Strahm has been a bright spot, posting a 3.92 ERA over 43 2/3 innings and filling a number of different roles in Boston’s bullpen. After being non-tendered by the Padres last winter, Strahm signed a one-year, $3MM free agent deal with the Sox in March and he told MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo that he “would love” a return to Boston in 2023. Strahm also said he is open to returning to a relief role, but also wants to market himself as a starting pitcher. Strahm made 16 starts for the Padres in 2019 but none since, as knee injuries limited the southpaw in any role in 2020-21. However, Strahm said he is ready to resume a starter’s workload, as a consistent running program has made his knees “feel better than when I was drafted.” Since the Red Sox have multiple starters slated for free agency this winter, re-signing Strahm and at least giving him a trial run as a starter would make some sense, as the Sox would then have the fallback of moving the left-hander back into the bullpen. Cotillo reported that the Brewers, Royals, and Tigers were among the teams vying for Strahm last offseason, so any of that trio could conceivably still have interest in his next trip to the open market.
- Max Kepler, Gio Urshela, and Emilio Pagan could all be trade candidates for the Twins this offseason, as The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman breaks down why Minnesota may be open to swapping any of these veterans. Naturally, money is one factor — Kepler is guaranteed at least $9.5MM in 2023, while Urshela (paid $6.55MM in 2022) and Pagan ($2.3MM) are due raises in their final year of salary arbitration before free agency. Kepler and Pagan are also coming off underwhelming seasons, while Gleeman figures the solid Urshela likely has the most trade value of the trio, should the Twins want to open third base for Jose Miranda.
Simply sign Strahm. The team will NEVER have enough pitchers.
couldn’t agree more. to the sentiment, and with your username
I would sign Strahm to another one-year deal.
I think Nevin has done a decent job given the roster and Trout being out for a month and Rendon 90% of the season. If the Angels are to go forward with Nevin, they need to replace the hitting coach. Wise the PC has done a good job.
I dont think Nevin has done a good job. I don’t want him back
I respect your opinion but no one can win much with that bottom half of the lineup. To Minasian’s credit he’s taken the blame. Also, so much of his performance is behind closed doors and we can’t evaluate.
Case in point. He’s bunting Soto? He’s not replacing Suzuki with a pinch runner? And who is the closer?
Not sure what you mean, Soto hit a shot 2b, and Suzuki won’t be pinch hit in his last home game with them out of it. And MLB bullpens are changing to more committees. Tepera, Herget, Quijada have done well closing it out.
1. Soto had nobody on base and reached easily when he bunted
2. The bench options tonight were Trout (who they confirmed wasn’t playing at all tonight,) Stassi, O’Hoppe, and Thaiss. Not exactly a group of burners
3. Front office traded the closer. It’s a lost year, might as well give an audition to a couple of the better relievers
If the sacrifice is successful the Angels likely lose, and it’s more important to lose Suzuki’s last home game than pinch run and win it?
It’s not the philosophy I agree with.
The Angels have four catchers, and they may not be burners, but they are all faster than Suzuki. And if that bunt sacrifice is successful, the Angels likely lose.
I like a manager increasing a teams chance to win, not decrease it.
1. I was referring to the 7th when Soto hit the 2B. He’s done well thus far, albeit in a few ABs.
Dang, you’re tough! I respect your opinion about Nevin, but don’t think tonight’s unique situation with Suzuki is part of Nevin’s evaluation.
And Soto was asked to sacrifice. And had he been successful, the Angels likely lose. His moves are not as nuts as Maddon’s, but I’m not happy with the way he manages.
Sacrificing with a very slow runner at first, especially the way Soto is swinging the bat is an example of his type of managing I don’t like.
You’re an idiot
Simpleton if you have nothing nice or didn’t want to discuss your two opinions of well a very losing franchise you could have said nothing why be a hater?
For having an opinion? Ok, you think the sacrifice was a good thing? Ok.
Halo – Name calling is a sign of surrendering the substantive argument. Congrats – you won!
I’m not a fan of Nevin. It’s nothing he’s necessarily done poorly. it seems to me that he lacks motivational skills or a personality. I think he was their safe bet to limp the team along to the end of the season. I doubt we see him back in the manager role in 2023.
I don’t like he uses the pen and because Trout sat last night, he’s not going to be a qualified hitter.
As a manager, I think the Angels can do better. His managing of last nights game, is an example of that. Zack Weiss instead of Herget? It’s nice Weiss got his first big league hold, but really?
And another example why I don’t like Nevin, this game. Did he not want Sandoval to get a win?
Strahm is just another version of Lorenzen. Dude wants to start but is clearly better as a RP and has too many injuries to be reliable for a full season as a SP.
The Angels are on the right track, but their feet are plated firmly in the air due to the potential sale of the franchise.
The Red Sox are in a restructuring even though their fans deny it and act like they’re going to go for it in 2023.
But the Twins…..whew…..it may be harder to figure out what they’re trying to do than what the Rockies and Rangers strategies are.
I don’t know what the Angels should do this off-season. What position do you replace? I’d get a RH bat that can play first and LF. I’d add a middle of the rotation starter and a couple more BP guys.
Halo11Fan;
We need to know how they value players they have in the high minors and on their bench – if they think they can play in 2023 and if so, in what roles.
Pretty much all the bad contracts have been cleared out. Perry has acquired players for the minors the past few years via drafts and trades. Every year I say that each teams season depends on how veteran players and guys from their farm system either improve or fall apart. The strategy the Angels have had of bringing in costly players each offseason is slowly going away. It hasn’t worked….for them or any other team. Their coaching staff has to continue to work and improve the players they have under contract.
I do expect some FA signings, Rule 5 and waiver / DFA claims. But getting more than one well known player might not happen….and I doubt the well known player will be getting a multi-year contract for major money.
Wow Samuel. The knack for stating the most banal and obvious generalizations while simultaneously thinking he’s dazzling us with his deft and incisive commentary instead. He does this so regularly and shamelessly that I am beginning to think it’s a deliberate act.
Yeah, tough figuring out the Angels. Their pitching surprisingly isn’t a big problem at 5th in AL team ERA. Lorenzen likely won’t be back but look at his game log: outside a few clunkers (2 when injured) he did rather well as a back-end.
But signing a no. 2 would deepen the SP and improve the team. They need to gut that glove-first MI and find offense there. Maybe 1 good bat there. Rengifo I’d make a super-utility (and inevitable Rendon replacement), and I’d get a good OF bat and force Adell to break through. He’s not an MLB bat now. And 1 veteran bullpen piece but not needed if Tepera and Louo get on track with the others maturing, with more RP in the Minors. And depth, sign veteran depth who can adequately fill in.
Is Pagan a trade candidate, or more of a non-tender candidate? We’re talking about a pretty medoicer RHP reliever who has a HR/9 of nearly 2.0 since 2020. Not to mention he’ll be 32 for the better part of 2023. Is there any team who would willing to take him and his salary on when they could probably get the same level of production from even a minor league signee?
Bad Contract Swap?
Surprising to see he has only one [full] above average season in his career.
However, given the fickle nature of relievers and Pagan’s upper-tier K% this year, I’d bet there’s at least a couple teams out their that would roll the dice on him.
Kepler reeks of a player who would benefit from a change of scenery. I don’t see him replicating 2019, but he’s continued to post better than average strikeout and walk rates — not to mention he’s a quality defender in right.
If I’m the Twins i don’t trade Kepler. The Twins have had such a hard time keeping Outfielders healthy that depleting that depth may be more detrimental than they realize.
This is true. For some reason Jake Cave is still around.
Haha lol I forgot about cave
If the front office hasn’t reached out to Nevin it’s probably because he is not the first choice for the job next season. I could definitely see the Angels being interested in Mattingly next season
Yeah, I’m with you, the writing looks to be on the wall. Although I like him from what I can see from this side of the dugout.
First, the current front office will not pick the next manager since they will be gone. Second, many news outlets are saying Erstad will be the manager. He interviewed for the position for the Dodgers but declined to take the job.The dodgers brass were so impressed by him they told the Angels to hire him because they felt he was a natural leader. He was the captain of the World Series winning Angels and took an under-performing college team and won the College World Series in a couple of years.
Do you think Don Mattingly is willing to work for another interfering owner? If the Yankees don’t go very far in the post season, he’s gonna get a shot to interview.
I would rather the Angels bring in, someone who is use to dealing with young players and allowing them room to grow. As soon as Marsh was traded, Adell should have played everyday in left. No his numbers aren’t great. But they are better than the players they were using. Erstad would be my first choice to be the next manager. It’s like Mark Langston, said Tuesday night, Sandoval has pitched this and most of last season as a number 2 starter. And Nevin pulls him, after he strikes out a batter. For what reason? Other than for spite.
Doesn’t Matt Strahm know the Sox minor league system has been rebuilt? He won’t be needed next year. Yes, sir, twenty-five Rookie of the Years at Fenway next year in full Bloom.
Keep Urshela for his weird walk up music that reminds us of Christian summer camp, halfway decent defense and clutch hits. Pagan you gone and Big Kep needs to go to the Red Sox and help them win a championship ala David Ortiz.
Idk if the Sox should resign Strahm, dude isn’t exactly been “good” this season, and a two year contract they give him could easily turn into another diekman situation.
He’s good compared to the other crap Bloom acquired.
Well, you want to rely on them trading for a reliever? Considering the legacy of everyone from Mark Clear to Andrew Bailey to Mark Melancon to Carson Smith and Tyler Thornburg, maybe they should just assemble 5 or 6 starters and insist they pitch nothing but complete games?
He was “good” just fell off the last month or so. Well worth signing, Just have to look past the ERA, which shouldn’t be used when evaluating a relief pitcher, anyway. — But, only sign as a RP, not SP.
There were extended stretches during the first half when Strahm appeared to be the top setup option vs righties. Which says an awful lot about the bullpen plan headed into the year.
Cue Michael Scott’s “Nooooo!” response to Toby for Nevin staying with Angels.
Strahm has always been underrated, would love to see the Sox bring him back.
As for the Twins, especially if Correa opts out, they look to be one stagnant off-season from returning the the hot mess. late Gardenhire years of maiaise.
One thing he not a Manager he made some bad choices
Soto a great player
Honestly Nevin should stay through 2023 because the team is being sold the process won’t be fast and new ownership will probably bring in their own guys which means no one is safe might as well give him a small 1 year tryout for new ownership.
Having lived through 11 seasons of general managers complaining about not having the manager they want (to be fair, just DiPoto), I want Perry to have the manager he wants to remove all excuses. That being said, Nevin warrants another opportunity. Take away July when Trout was out, the Angels have played tough under him. He seems to challenge the players to rise above what the stats say they can do such as pitchers finishing off innings. Rengifo took off under him. They’re finishing strong. Granted, it’s against the A’s and Rangers, but those are the teams you have to beat. I’d love to see Erstad get a shot if the Angels go a different route. I just hope it’s not some underwhelming choice like Ausmus.
8791, I don’t like the moves he makes, and benching Trout that one game will prevent him from getting his 502 plate appearances, and that is not insignificant.
I don’t want him back, but we are all entitled to our opinions. What should be challenged is distorting data.
Rengifo did something he has never done before, hit LH pitching. The rest of his game is pretty much the same as it’s always been. I’m not confident that will carry over into next year.