‘Born to do this’: Suzuki gets 1-year Angels deal
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Kurt Suzuki is taking over the Los Angeles Angels as a first-time manager with a monumental task before him — and perhaps a very limited amount of time to show progress.
Suzuki got just a one-year contract when he became the Angels’ sixth manager in the past eight seasons, general manager Perry Minasian said Wednesday.
Minasian also has one year left on his deal with the Angels, who are mired in a stretch of 10 straight losing seasons after finishing 72-90 last month.
“He’s tied in with me,” Minasian said of Suzuki, the longtime catcher who served as Minasian’s special assistant for the past three seasons after his retirement from a 16-year playing career.
Neither man expressed any worries about the brief window given to the 42-year-old Suzuki, who will be learning his vast new job under unusual pressure. Suzuki’s contract appears to be another unique decision by Angels owner Arte Moreno, whose team hasn’t made the playoffs since 2014 or had a winning season since 2015.
Minasian and Suzuki both said they feel urgency to end the Angels’ decade-long drought, no matter how long their contracts might be.
“I make a joke of it, but I feel like I’ve been playing on one-year deals my whole career,” Suzuki said. “I feel like I had to prove myself every single year I played this game. … I’m here because I want to lead this team. I’m here because I want to help these players. I want to do good for this city and this organization.”
Suzuki teared up while thanking his wife and three children, who were seated in the front row of his news conference at Angel Stadium, where he played his final two major league seasons before moving into the team’s front office.
Suzuki was chosen by Minasian from a field of candidates that included Albert Pujols. Minasian wouldn’t say how negotiations broke down with the former Angels slugger, who also has never coached or managed in the majors.
At least Pujols has winter-ball experience in a dugout, but Minasian is confident Suzuki will pick up his new job swiftly because he already has done large parts of it as a catcher.
“I never thought I would be comfortable hiring a manager who wasn’t a manager before, but this is a different person,” Minasian said. “I know he didn’t have a coaching title, but even when he played, he coached-slash-managed for different places. He managed a game for a long time. I believe he’s the right person for the job.”
Suzuki is used to achieving great things despite starting from a tough position.
After growing up on Maui, he walked on at Cal State Fullerton and developed into a freshman starter, a College World Series winner and a second-round draft pick by the Oakland Athletics.
He made one All-Star team and won a World Series ring during an accomplished major league career. His lively bat produced 143 homers, but he was even better known for his excellent defense, game management and relationships with his pitchers, including Shohei Ohtani.
“I feel like I was born to do this — to lead players, to help players get better,” Suzuki said. “That’s my personality. I feel like I’ve done it on a yearly basis with 29, 30 pitchers throughout a whole season, trying to understand how to get the best out of each player, and that’s what excites me.
“Obviously you play this game to win also, but what excites me is being able to help kids reach their potential.”
Suzuki replaces Ron Washington, whose option year wasn’t picked up after two losing seasons. Brad Ausmus, Joe Maddon, Phil Nevin and interim Ray Montgomery have also briefly held this slippery job since Mike Scioscia wasn’t brought back in late 2018 after 19 years in charge.
Suzuki skirted questions about Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon, his teammate on the Washington Nationals‘ championship team in 2019. Rendon, who didn’t play at all this season due to a hip injury, still has one season left on the catastrophic $245 million, seven-year contract Moreno gave him as a free agent after the World Series.
“I haven’t spoke to Perry about that whole situation,” Suzuki said of Rendon, who will make $38 million from the Angels next year.
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Max Olson
Utah quarterback Devon Dampier has been upgraded to probable for the Utes’ game against Colorado, according to the updated Big 12 availability report released Friday night.
The junior quarterback has dealt with a lower leg injury this season, and coach Kyle Whittingham said Dampier “got beat up in this game pretty good” after the Utes’ 24-21 loss to rival BYU last weekend.
Dampier was initially listed as questionable Wednesday but progressed throughout the week and took reps in practice, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
The 5-foot-11, 210-pound junior, a transfer out of New Mexico, has started every game despite the injury and ranks sixth in the Big 12 in total offense with 1,375 passing yards, 442 rushing yards and 18 total touchdowns.
True freshman backup Byrd Ficklin played four snaps against BYU and would be in line to start if Dampier is unavailable Saturday against the Buffaloes (10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Utah wide receiver Tobias Merriweather and defensive tackle Dallas Vakalahi were downgraded from doubtful to out against Colorado. Merriweather ranks second among Utes wideouts with 130 receiving yards on eight receptions this season.
The defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers opened the 2025 MLB season in Japan on March 18.
Now, 220 days later, they meet the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 of the Fall Classic.
Will the Dodgers be the first team to repeat as champs since the New York Yankees at the turn of the century? Or will the underdog Blue Jays win their first title since 1993?
It all starts Friday night. We’ll have the action covered right here, from pregame lineups to live analysis during the game to takeaways after the final pitch.
Key links: Mega-preview, predictions | Schedule
Live updates
Gamecast: Follow the action pitch-by-pitch here
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Jorge Castillo
TORONTO — Bo Bichette, who has not played since spraining his left knee in early September, was added to the Toronto Blue Jays‘ roster for the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Bichette, a two-time All-Star at shortstop, will play second base for the first time in his major league career and bat cleanup in Game 1 on Friday night in Toronto, according to the lineup released by the Jays.
“I’ve been able to get a lot of good work in, but honestly, I’m leaning on a whole life’s work of swings and at-bats that have all been dedicated to being ready for this moment,” Bichette said. “I feel ready, and I’m ready to get out there. I’m super excited.”
The Blue Jays also included first baseman Ty France on their roster for the first time this postseason. Outfielder Joey Loperfido and right-handed reliever Yariel Rodriguez, who were on the American League Championship Series roster, were not included.
Bichette has not played in a game since injuring the knee in a collision with Yankees catcher Austin Wells on Sept. 6. Bichette attempted to return in time for the AL Championship Series but could not run the bases without significant pain the day before the Blue Jays had to submit their roster.
The infielder worked out at second base and faced live pitching Wednesday and Thursday, after which he said the knee was “feeling good enough.” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Bichette could play second base, shortstop or even serve as the team’s designated hitter during the series, a move that would likely push George Springer into right field.
“I’ve seen him do it, albeit minor leagues a few years ago — or a number of years ago,” Schneider, who previously worked in the organization’s minor league system, said of Bichette playing second base. “But as long as he was moving around fine and physically felt OK, you felt good about putting him out there.”
Set to be a free agent this winter, Bichette had a rebound season after posting a .598 OPS in 81 games in an injury-plagued 2024 campaign. The homegrown star, 27, finished second in the majors with a .311 batting average and hit 18 home runs with 94 RBIs and an .840 OPS.
Without him, the Blue Jays have played Andres Gimenez, their regular second baseman, at shortstop in the postseason with Isiah Kiner-Falefa getting most of the starts at second base.
Los Angeles added right-handers Edgardo Henriquez and Will Klein while dropping lefty Alex Vesia and righty Ben Casparius. The Dodgers said Thursday that Vesia was not with the team in Toronto because of a family matter. The Dodgers opted to leave Vesia off the roster entirely rather than putting him on Major League Baseball’s family medical emergency list, which would have allowed him to return to the roster within three to seven days.
“We just didn’t want to have any potential for any kind of pressure,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “This is so much bigger than baseball. For us, it was doing whatever small part we could to just a hundred percent be supportive.”
Former closer Tanner Scott was not added. The left-hander was dropped from the National League Division Series roster following surgery Oct. 8 to remove an abscess from an infection on his lower body.
Clayton Kershaw, who was left off the Dodgers’ wild-card series roster and did not pitch in the NLCS, is on the World Series roster. Kershaw has said he plans to retire after this season.
Information from ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez and the Associated Press was used in this report.
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