Ron

Washington

Laker had worked previously as the Mariners’ hitting coach and as the Dodgers’ minor league hitting coordinator. He’s expected to work alongside new hitting coach Johnny Washington as part of a deep and talented coaching group that skipper Ron Washington has assembled in Los Angeles.

Enright has worked for the Diamondbacks as a pitching coach for the last three years, most recently spending the last two years as Brent Strom’s assistant pitching coach on the big league staff. The 37-year-old former big leaguer logged parts of two seasons with the Angels from 2012-2013. He’s the newest addition to manager Ron Washington’s coaching staff out in Los Angeles heading into the 2024 campaign.

Porter — who also interviewed for the Angels’ managerial job this fall — previously managed the Astros from 2013-2014. He then served as the Braves’ third base coach from 2015-2016 when he was replaced by none other than Ron Washington. Porter then took a role in the Braves’ front office as a special assistant to the general manager. He’ll join what’s looking like a very deep and talented coaching staff under new Angels’ skipper Ron Washington.

Nightengale adds that Washington’s staff in Los Angeles is also expected to include Chili Davis as hitting coach, Torii Hunter as first base coach, Eric Young Sr. as third base coach and a recently-retired Ryan Goins as infield coach. There could wind up being some changes in the near future, but it’s a pretty impressive list for the Angels.

The hiring is now official. Washington receives a two-year contract to take over at the helm in Los Angeles and will be introduced next week at a press conference. The 71-year-old skipper went 664-611 (.521) over an eight-year tenure with the division-rival Rangers from 2007-2014 and has spent the last seven seasons as the Braves’ third base coach, serving as a key component of their recent success. It’s an extremely encouraging hire for the Angels, who find themselves at a potential turning point in their history with two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani currently a free agent and franchise cornerstone Mike Trout coming off an injury-plagued 2023 campaign.

It’s a blockbuster hire for the Angels as Washington has been a managerial candidate for nearly a decade at this juncture, but appears primed to take over at the helm for a Los Angeles franchise that appears to be at a crossroads with two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani hitting free agency. The 71-year-old hasn’t managed since an eight-year stint with the division-rival Rangers from 2007-2014. He’s certainly worthy of another shot, especially with the recent success of another experienced manager in Bruce Bochy within the same division.

Washington is currently the third base coach for the Atlanta Braves. Washington joins Brad Ausmus, Rod Barajas and Jaye Tingler as candidates that have interviewed for the position thus far. The club is not believed to have any interest -- at least so far -- in interviewing Buck Showalter or Joe Girardi.

The Rangers rallied late to force a tiebreaker game this season, but they lost to the Rays Monday and have faded badly down the stretch two straight years. Evidently, though, two World Series appearances the two years prior are enough for Wash to get another shot. He’ll be on the hot seat in 2014.

Washington is under contract for 2014 and Daniels has already said the skipper would return, but he wants to extend Wash’s deal to avoid any “lame duck” thoughts heading into the season. “That would be my preference,” Daniels said. “I’ve been as supportive as anybody, and we’re going to handle that behind the scenes. Wash and I haven’t talked about it yet. I haven’t talked to ownership about it yet. We will have that conversation internally.”

Ron Washington isn’t going anywhere, but the Rangers are shaking up his staff a bit. Moore has been Washington’s bench coach for the past five seasons while Anderson had been the team’s third base coach for the previous four seasons before moving to first base coach this year.