Former Braves catcher Kurt Suzuki reportedly hired as Angels manager
Another former Braves catcher will be overseeing a major league club.
The Angels have hired Kurt Suzuki as their next manager, per multiple reports. Suzuki, 42, played for the Braves in 2017-18 and replaces former Braves third base coach Ron Washington, whom the Angels (72-90) dismissed following the season.
Suzuki was a valuable presence as the Braves emerged from a rebuild into a club bustling with young talent. He shared catching duties with Tyler Flowers during his two seasons in Atlanta. The Braves leaped from 72 to 90 victories from 2017 to 2018.
Suzuki hit .276/.341/.485 with 31 homers, 27 doubles and 100 RBIs over 186 games with the Braves. He enjoyed somewhat of an offensive renaissance during his tenure; he certainly had a reputation for toughness, getting hit by 26 pitches in two seasons.
The Braves let Suzuki walk in free agency during the 2018 offseason. He joined the Nationals on a two-year pact and finished his career with two seasons in Anaheim. He also played for the A’s and Twins. Suzuki had different stints with Oakland and Washington over his 16-year career.
Suzuki has spent his postplaying career with the Angels, serving as a special assistant to general manager Perry Minasian, who was formerly Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos’ right-hand man before getting the Angels job in November 2020.
Recent years have been a Western homecoming for Suzuki, who was born in Hawaii and played collegiately at Orange County powerhouse Cal State Fullerton. He joins Stephen Vogt (Cleveland) as recent former Braves backstops to receive managerial opportunities. Vogt played 26 games for the 2021 championship team.
Unlike Vogt, who stepped into a well-respected organization and has led the Guardians to consecutive postseason berths, Suzuki will face an uphill climb to relevance. The Angels are often cited as perhaps the worst-run franchise, with involved owner Arte Moreno constantly under fire from media and fans.
The Angels haven’t made the postseason since 2014, the longest drought in MLB. They haven’t had a winning campaign since 2015. Their chaos was well documented as they employed two of the sport’s greatest individual talents, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, during part of this stretch.
There was hope that Washington, an experienced and enthusiastic leader, could help turn the moribund franchise around, but he spent only two seasons with the team and missed much of the past campaign because of health issues.
Retired Braves manager Brian Snitker always spoke well of Suzuki, as did his teammates. The Angels do have a talented young group of players, including individuals like Zach Neto and Logan O’Hoppe, so Suzuki will be overseeing a club that hopes it’s finally heading in the right direction.
The Angels and Rangers (Skip Schumaker) are the first two teams to fill their managerial openings. The Braves are among seven clubs still seeking a new manager, including the Giants, Padres, Twins, Orioles, Nationals and Rockies.
About the Author
Gabriel Burns is a general assignment reporter and features writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After four years on the Braves beat, he's expanded his horizons and covers all sports. You'll find him writing about MLB, NFL, NBA, college football and other Atlanta-centric happenings.
