ANAHEIM — Phil Nevin will not return next year as manager of the Los Angeles Angels.
The Angels announced Monday that they declined Nevin’s contract option for 2024. Los Angeles is looking for its fourth manager in six years since the departure of Mike Scioscia, who led for 19 years.
Nevin went 119-149 in his first job as a manager and missed the postseason in two seasons. He ascended to the position in June 2022 when Joe Maddon was fired amid a 14-game losing streak.
Nevin, who joined the team in November 2021 as part of Maddon’s staff as the third base coach, became the first Orange County native to coach the Angels.
As a standout infielder who still carries himself like a ballplayer, Nevin seems to be loved by the players. But the Angels went winless and finished 40-60 the rest of the 2022 campaign and 73-89 this season and the team recorded its eighth straight losing season.
“I know it didn’t go the way we wanted, but I’m proud of how they came together,” Nevin said Sunday. “It wasn’t funny. It wasn’t fun to finish the way we did, but we had a good group there. There are a lot of good things on the horizon with the young players and the returning guys. Good future.”
Nevin is the third manager fired in the past four days, following San Francisco’s Gabe Kepler and the Mets’ Buck Showalter.
Despite the presence of American League MVP Shohei Ohtani and Mik Trout when he was healthy. Nevin has many obstacles leading the team. The Angels were forced to use a franchise-record 66 players due to injuries in each of his two seasons at the helm.
Los Angeles pledged and reached the trade limit with a record of 65-61, which caused owner Arte Moreno to start spending. The team collapsed and lost seven straight games before finishing 17 games behind the AL West leader.
General manager Perry Minasian will continue for a fourth season even though the Angels have eight consecutive losing seasons and nine without advancing to the playoffs. Minasian will speak to the press on Tuesday.
The Halos finished the season 17-38 over the past two months without Ohtani, Trout, Anthony Rendon, Taylor Ward and other players who have been sidelined with injuries.
