At 71 years old, Ron Washington is enjoying a renewed opportunity to lead an MLB team as a manager.
He is taking over the Los Angeles Angels after a break from being a manager.
Washington, after being a coach for the Oakland Athletics from 1996 to 2006, took over the Texas Rangers in 2007.
He led them to two division titles, two World Series appearances, and one Wild Card Game in 2012.
He left the team in 2014 and, after another stint as an A’s coach in 2015-16, he joined the Atlanta Braves as a third base coach.
Seven years after joining the Braves, life gave him another shot at managing.
He will be in charge of the dysfunctional Angels, who might be without Shohei Ohtani as he is a free agent and unlikely to return to LA.
Still, if there is someone with enough savvy and personality to get the best out of every player there, it’s Washington.
It’s highly unusual for a manager to get another chance at that role nine or more years after his last shot.
Only six men have done it in the last 16 years.
“Ron Washington is the 6th manager in the last 16 years to return to managing in the big leagues after a gap of 9+ years: Wash 2014-24, Tony La Russa 2011-21, Bobby Valentine 2002-12, Terry Collins 1999-2011, Davey Johnson 2000-11, Cito Gaston 1997-2008. h/t @MLBNetwork Research,” MLB insider Jayson Stark tweeted.
Ron Washington is the 6th manager in the last 16 years to return to managing in the big leagues after a gap of 9+ years:
Wash 2014-24
Tony La Russa 2011-21
Bobby Valentine 2002-12
Terry Collins 1999-2011
Davey Johnson 2000-11
Cito Gaston 1997-2008h/t @MLBNetwork Research
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) November 9, 2023
Washington is now one of those men, and the last one before him was Tony La Russa.
Washington has a good 664-611 record as an MLB skipper in regular-season play (.521 winning percentage).
He is also very solid in postseason play, with a 18-16 record and a .529 winning percentage.
Still, he is looking for his first ring as a skipper: he already won one as a third base coach with Atlanta in 2021.
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