On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Angels – losers of 12 straight games – fired veteran manager Joe Maddon and named Phil Nevin his interim replacement.
The Angels won’t be conducting an official coaching search anytime soon, though.
The AL West ballclub has announced Nevin will manage the team for the rest of the 2022 season.
This will be a tryout of sorts for Nevin, who’s widely respected within the Angels’ organization. If he can get this season turned around, Perry Minasian might consider him for the job next season.
Nevin doesn’t have any time to waste. The Angels have a short window here to right the ship and make the most of having Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani on the same team.
Getting healthy is key No. 1 for Nevin, as Maddon admitted on Tuesday.
“We’ve got guys hurt. The bullpen had a really hard time. And we just stopped hitting,” Maddon told The Athletic, via ESPN.com. “It’s just one of those things that became contagious. It wasn’t an issue of camaraderie or lack of leadership. It was a calamity that occurred all at one time.”
The Angels will try and end their 12-game losing streak tonight vs. the Boston Red Sox.