Joe Maddon Officially Agrees to $12 Million Deal with Angels
Update: Joe Maddon has reached an agreement on a three-year, $12 million contract to become the next Angels manager. This is a return to where it all started, as Maddon worked in the Angels organization for over three decades and still has a home in the area.
Source: #Angels deal with Joe Maddon is worth $12 million over three years.
— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) October 16, 2019
OFFICIAL: The Los Angeles Angels have agreed to terms with manager Joe Maddon. pic.twitter.com/PKZHBaljl8
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) October 16, 2019
Multiple outlets are reporting that Joe Maddon and the Angels are close to finalizing a deal that will make him the club’s new manager. The contract is expected to be for three years with a value of $12-15 million and should be announced in the next few days.
Joe Maddon’s 3-year deal with the #Angels is nearly finalized, as @JonHeyman and @ESPNChiCubs reported, and will be announced before the World Series. Buck Showalter was runner-up
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) October 16, 2019
Joe Maddon deal with Angels likely to be for 3 years. In the 12-15 mil range.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) October 16, 2019
While this has all been seen as fait accompli since the end of the Cubs’ season, recent revelations about the Angels organization may have given Maddon pause. After pitcher Tyler Skaggs’ death was ruled to have been caused by a mix of opioids and alcohol, a team employee admitted that he’d supplied the drugs and had used with Skaggs. Team officials allegedly knew about the illicit painkiller abuse, which could involve at least five other Angels players. Commissioner Rob Manfred has the ability to penalize the Angels with sanctions of up to $2 million, and a joint opioid testing and treatment program is currently the works as a result of the tragedy.
Beyond those bigger issues, which reach well beyond Anaheim, Maddon takes over a team with a talent deficit and serious divisional competition. He’s got one bona dude superstar in Mike Trout and another potential one in Shohei Ohtani, not to mention the inimitable Tommy La Stella, but there’s not enough on the current roster to compete with the Astros.
Maddon’s presided over quick turnarounds before, though, so maybe he’s got one more up his sleeve. There won’t be a direct homecoming next season because the Cubs and Angels don’t meet in interleague play, but Anaheim will be on the South Side from August 10-12.
