"If they can't pull their weight, they're not gonna be on the team" - Ron Washington issues ultimatum to underperforming Angels players
Los Angeles Angels fans may be in store for a different era as new manager Ron Washington has made his intentions clear for the upcoming season. The 71-year-old manager has wasted little time in trying to change the culture around his new club, something that they will need following the departure of Shohei Ohtani.
Over the years, the Los Angeles Angels have been the butt of a number of jokes in the MLB universe because of their lack of success. However, veteran manager Washington has made it clear that players will need to perform to their best ability or they may not be around.
In a recent interview on the popular baseball channel, Foul Territory, Washington explained how he will approach this upcoming season. The long-time MLB manager and coach shared an ultimatum for his new club, saying "If they can't pull their weight, they're not gonna be on the team."
"Everybody on the team's gonna pull their weight, and if they can't pull their weight they're not gonna be on the team - it's that simple," Ron Washington said on FoulTerritory.
Ron Washington also explained in the interview that he hopes to see some of the Los Angeles Angels superstars rediscover who they are. The new manager explained that he knows what the likes of Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon can accomplish on the field and wants to see it.
"They don't have to take the team and put it on their backs," Washington said of Trout and Rendon.
The Los Angeles Angels will look to re-invent themselves this upcoming season
The biggest storyline for Los Angeles entering the 2024 campaign is how they will fare without Shohei Ohtani on the roster. Last season, the squad failed to reach the postseason yet again, which certainly played a factor in Ohtani's jump to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It's been a relatively quiet offseason for the Los Angeles Angels, however, the front office has added a number of new players. The team signed free agents Zac Plesac, Adam Cimber, Adam Kolarek, and Luis Garcia. They also signed a number of players to minor-league contracts, including Francisco Mejia, Jake Marisnick, and Willie Calhoun.