The Baltimore Orioles are searching for a new manager, announcing recently that they will be considering candidates beyond interim skipper Tony Mansolino, who led Baltimore to a winning record after taking over for the fired Brandon Hyde in May. New reports from ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez and ESPN’s Jeff Passan indicate that Albert Pujols is a target for the Orioles.
“The Orioles have yet to formally interview Pujols but are expected to,” Gonzalez and Passan reported on Wednesday.
“Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias was a scout for the St. Louis Cardinals while Pujols starred for the organization in the latter half of the 2000s. Pujols, 45, still shares a close relationship with former teammate Matt Holliday, father of Jackson Holliday, the 21-year-old infielder who is now one of the Orioles’ foundational players.”
The only team Pujols has interviewed with so far are the Los Angeles Angels. The Angeles are also considering Torii Hunter.
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“Pujols has expressed strong interest in managing at the big league level for years and led a Dominican winter ball team, the Leones del Escogido, to a championship in January,” Gonzalez and Passan added.
“Pujols was previously named manager for his native Dominican Republic in next year’s World Baseball Classic, though he would likely rescind that role if he lands a big league job this offseason.”