Angels turn to veteran Washington to lead club
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Jeff Passan, ESPN
The Los Angeles Angels hired Ron Washington as their new manager Wednesday, opting for an experienced and respected coach as the team prepares for the possibility of a significant overhaul if star Shohei Ohtani leaves in free agency.
Washington, 71, last managed in 2014, when he resigned from the Texas Rangers, where he’d found significant success — including two World Series appearances — over eight seasons.
Despite a 53-87 record in his final season, Washington’s career record is 664-611.
He joins the Angels from Atlanta, where he spent the past seven seasons as a third-base coach beloved by players and fans for his comedic musings and old-school techniques. His coaching career started with the Oakland Athletics after a 10-year career as a skillful utility player.
Washington, who becomes the oldest manager in baseball, will receive a two-year contract, sources said. He is one of two Black managers in the game, joining the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ Dave Roberts after Dusty Baker of the Houston Astros retired last month.
He will be the fifth manager in seven years for the Angels, who have not won a playoff game since 2009. Owner Arte Moreno prioritized experience with the decision after declining the option on first-time manager Phil Nevin’s contract in October, following Nevin’s first full season. Nevin had replaced Joe Maddon in June 2022, when Maddon was fired after 2½ years.
The Angels’ direction often depends on the whims of Moreno, whose decision to keep Ohtani at the trade deadline was as ill-fated as any in recent years. The Angels mortgaged some of their best prospects to add to a flawed team and then collapsed, leaving their farm system barren and the major league roster filled with questionable contracts and lacking talent.
Los Angeles went 73-89 last season, finishing behind a Seattle team with playoff aspirations, a Texas team that won the World Series and a Houston team that plans to reload this winter.
The Angels do still have talented players under contract, including three-time MVP Mike Trout, utility man Brandon Drury, center fielder Mickey Moniak and a trio of rookies who showed flashes of excellence in catcher Logan O’Hoppe, shortstop Zach Neto and first baseman Nolan Schanuel.
The Angels’ pitching, meanwhile, was a mess, with a 4.64 ERA (23rd out of 30 major league teams), 4.00 walks per nine innings (28th) and one of the worst bullpens in baseball.
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Jake Trotter, ESPN Senior Writer
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan star tight end Colston Loveland has been ruled out of Saturday’s game against No. 11 USC with an undisclosed injury.
Loveland suffered an apparent shoulder injury in last weekend’s win over Arkansas State. Michigan coach Sherrone Moore hasn’t specified the nature of the injury.
A preseason All-American, Loveland leads the Wolverines with 19 catches for 187 yards; no other Michigan pass catcher has more than nine receptions.
The No. 18 Wolverines also changed starting quarterbacks this week, moving from Davis Warren to Alex Orji. Warren had thrown six interceptions in three games, including three last weekend. He threw two picks in a 31-12 loss to Texas on Sept. 7.
Orji has only seven career passing attempts but has rushed for 58 yards in a relief role this season.
Moore said this week that he wants to see Orji “take the reins” of the Michigan offense with his opportunity.
“Excited for him,” Moore said. “I know he’s chomping at the bit.”
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Jeff Passan, ESPN
The Washington Nationals demoted All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams to the minor leagues after he stayed out all night at a Chicago-area casino, leaving only hours before a Friday day game against the Chicago Cubs, sources told ESPN’s Jesse Rogers.
The 23-year-old Abrams led off for the Nationals and went 0 for 3 with a walk and strikeout in Friday’s game, which started at 1 p.m. CT. He was informed of the demotion Friday night, sources said. He will be sent to West Palm Beach, home of the Nationals’ minor league complex.
Because Abrams has been with Washington for the entirety of the season, the demotion will not affect his service time. Players earn a full year of service with 172 days on the major league roster, and Abrams already has exceeded that threshold.
Abrams could, however, file a grievance through the Major League Baseball Players Association to fight for lost pay if he believes the demotion unjust. He would lose around $30,000 of his $752,000 salary for missing the season’s final week. Abrams will be arbitration-eligible this winter, entering the system for the first of four times as a Super 2.
Acquired as one of the centerpieces of the Juan Soto trade two years ago, Abrams parlayed a breakout first-half into an All-Star selection, hitting .268/.343/.489 with 15 home runs and 15 stolen bases over the Nationals’ first 89 games. He struggled significantly in the second half, slashing .203/.260/.326, and Abrams’ defense has been a weakness throughout the season.
Still, the Nationals did not intend to send him to the minor leagues until they learned of his time spent at the casino, which was first reported Friday by CHGO.
“I just want it to be known it wasn’t performance-based,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez told reporters Saturday. “It’s an internal issue. I’m not going to give specifics.”
CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson defensive end Peter Woods will not play for the 21st-ranked Tigers against NC State on Saturday because of a leg injury.
The team announced Woods’ status about 90 minutes before kickoff. Woods, 6-foot-3, 315 pounds, got hurt two weeks ago on a chop block below the knee in a 66-20 victory over App State. Woods came back in briefly after getting checked then missed the second half.
The Tigers were off last weekend.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has said Woods’ playing status was day-to-day. Swinney said Woods had not missed a practice. But Woods came out to the field for warmups in sneakers and sweatpants while other defensive linemen went through drills.
Woods leads the Tigers with 2½ tackles for loss.
Third-year sophomore Jahiem Lawson is listed as Woods’ backup on the depth chart.
NC State will be without starting quarterback Grayson McCall, who was hurt last week in a win over Louisiana Tech. Freshman CJ Bailey started for the Wolfpack.
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