The Los Angeles Angels and Joe Maddon are close to agreeing to terms on a contract to make him the team’s next manager, multiple media outlets reported on Wednesday.
Should a deal come to fruition, Maddon will return to the organization with which he spent 31 seasons before becoming the manager of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2006.
The Angels, who fired Brad Ausmus as their manager after one season on Sept. 30, have not publicly announced that an agreement is near for the former Chicago Cubs skipper.
Maddon, who mutually parted ways with the Cubs after the regular season, was with the Angels’ organization in various capacities — including as a player, scout, coach and interim manager — from 1975 to 2005.
The 65-year-old Maddon posted a 27-24 record as interim manager across two separate stints in 1996 and 1999 and served as the bench coach for the Angels’ 2002 World Series championship team under Mike Scioscia.
Maddon since spent nine seasons with the Rays and five more with Chicago, including winning a World Series title with the Cubs in 2016. He has a career record of 1,252-1,068.
Ausmus, 50, guided the Angels to a 72-90 record this season. Los Angeles finished 35 games behind the American League West champion Houston Astros and failed to make the playoffs for the fifth straight season.
— Field Level Media