The Los Angeles Angels’ managerial search process may just consist of them looking through their old rosters.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports reports this week that former Angels outfielder Torii Hunter has emerged as a candidate for the team’s manager job. Nightengale notes that Hunter, 48, is “tremendously regarded” by Angels owner Arte Moreno for his leadership and baseball acumen.
Hunter himself subsequently added fuel to the fire by “liking” a post on X about the possibility of him returning to the Angels organization.
— BTH (@BeyondTheHalo) October 29, 2023
A 19-year MLB veteran, Hunter played for the Angels for five seasons from 2008-12, making two All-Star teams, earning two Gold Gloves, and winning a Silver Slugger in Anaheim. He was the starting center fielder on the last Angels team to win a playoff series (way back in 2009).
Four-time Manager of the Year Buck Showalter and Angels infield coach Benji Gil (a member of their 2002 World Series team) have already been named as candidates for the Angels’ manager job as well. Nightengale notes that ex-Angels bench coach Ron Roenicke, the former Milwaukee Brewers manager, is also in the mix.
Earlier this month, we heard of an additional candidate too — another ex-Angels All-Star player. But Hunter is probably the most surprising of all the candidates to emerge since he doesn’t have any prior coaching experience to speak of. While Moreno is notorious for making moves at whim, it remains to be seen how viable of an option for the job Hunter would actually be.
