Now that the Los Angeles Angels are under new ownership (John Kroenke), the organization appears to want a fresh slate.
Yesterday, the AL West club declined Kurt Suzuki's option for the 2027 season. In Suzuki's one year as manager, the Angels went 62-100.
Kroenke and interim general manager John Mozeliak can now look for someone they'd prefer to run the show in the dugout.
FanSided's Jake Elman believes there's one candidate who makes "too much sense" for the Angels to hire.
"Mozeliak was in the Cardinals’ front office when they used a fourth-round pick on [Yadier] Molina in 2000, and the two worked together throughout the latter’s entire playing career.
"They’re easily two of the most important figures in recent Cardinals history, and that alone might be enough for Kroenke," Elman wrote.
Molina, a 10-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove Award winner during his playing days with the St. Louis Cardinals, has kept busy since his retirement in 2022.
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Currently, he manages the LVBP's Navegantes del Magallanes in Venezuela. In Puerto Rico, he managed the LBRPC's Criollos de Caguas to two consecutive league titles in 2023 and 2024.
Molina has been in the dugout for each of the last two World Baseball Classics, managing Puerto Rico in 2023 and 2026.
The 44-year-old may not have Major League managerial experience, but his leadership in international leagues and existing relationship with Mozeliak make him an ideal candidate for Los Angeles.
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