ANAHEIM — In a significant mid-season shake-up, the Los Angeles Angels announced on Tuesday that they have parted ways with pitching coach Mike Maddux, assistant pitching coach Darryl Scott, and bullpen coach Dom Chiti. The dismissals come amid a challenging campaign for the club, which currently holds the worst record in Major Baseball at 45-74. With 43 games remaining in the season, the organization has named Tim Leveque as interim pitching coach and Michael Wuertz as interim bullpen coach to oversee the staff for the final 48 days of the schedule.
Interim general manager John Mozeliak
The decision to overhaul the pitching staff originated from interim general manager John Mozeliak, who also serves as a baseball operations consultant. According to Mozeliak, the move was finalized following discussions with manager Kurt Suzuki—who is currently on a one-year deal—as well as interviews with players and internal reflection. While Mozeliak had stated in June that he did not intend to make coaching changes before the season concluded, he determined that a shift was necessary after concluding that the outgoing staff was not sufficiently utilizing the technology and analytical tools available to the team.
暫定ゼネラルマネージャーのJohn Mozeliak氏は、Kurt Suzuki監督とコーチ陣の現状と将来の展望について時間をかけて話し合った結果、体制を変更することが最善であると判断したと述べた。また同氏は、残り7週間という期間を活用して、投手陣のプログラム全体を向上させ、将来の成功に向けた最善の態勢を整えるためにどのような追加措置が必要かを見極めるつもりだと語った。
Inconsistent application of available resources
Mozeliak noted that there was an “undercurrent” of frustration regarding the inconsistent application of available resources. He emphasized that while no single event triggered the firing, the desire to have pitchers utilize the various tools available in the modern game was a primary motivation. Mozeliak氏は、リソースの一貫性のない活用に対して不満が募りつつあったため、最終的に体制を変更すべきではないかと考えるに至ったと述べた。また同氏は、チームには十分に活用できていない素晴らしいリソースが数多くあると感じていると明かした。
The performance metrics of the pitching staff underscored the urgency of the situation. The Angels rank 24th in MLB with a 4.51 ERA and have the seventh-worst mark in the Majors. Most notably, the staff has issued 508 walks, the highest count in the major leagues. Despite these struggles, the team saw individual bright spots, with Reid Detmers and José Soriano producing strong seasons, and breakout performances from relievers such as Chase Silseth and Ryan Zeferjahn.
Pitching coach Mike Maddux
The outgoing pitching coach, Mike Maddux, joined the Angels on a one-year deal following the 2025 season after departing the Texas Rangers. His extensive coaching resume includes stints with the Milwaukee Brewers (2003-2008), the Rangers (2009-2015), the Washington Nationals (2016-2017), and the St. Louis Cardinals. During his time with Texas, he helped the club reach the World Series in 2010 and 2011 before winning the championship in 2023.
The new interim coaches bring experience from within the organization’s minor league system. Leveque was serving as the pitching coach at Double-A Rocket City, while Wuertz was the minor league assistant pitching coordinator. The team hopes their promotion will help the staff navigate the final 43 games of the season while the front office evaluates the future of the entire pitching program.