Ken Rosenthal drops truth bomb after Angels’ latest firings

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images.

Ken Rosenthal drops truth bomb after Angels’ latest firings

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints
By Josh Davis, ClutchPoints | Last updated Aug 12, 2026 2:43 PM ET

The Los Angeles Angels made an organizational change Tuesday, dismissing pitching coach Mike Maddux and two staff members as interim general manager John Mozeliak continued reshaping the franchise.

The Angels also fired bullpen coach Dom Chiti and assistant pitching coach Darryl Scott. Tim Leveque became interim pitching coach, while Michael Wuertz assumed bullpen duties for the remainder of the season.

Los Angeles enters Wednesday with a 46-74 record after defeating the Texas Rangers 3-2 on Tuesday night. The victory snapped a three-game losing streak but did little to ease concerns about the Angels’ direction.

Mozeliak, who replaced Perry Minasian in June, said the decision followed conversations with players and staff. He wants greater consistency in how the organization applies technology, analytics, and player-development resources. The firings reversed his earlier intention to avoid coaching changes before the season ended.

Foul Territory shared a clip Wednesday on X, formerly Twitter, featuring The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal discussing the moves. Rosenthal offered a concise assessment of what the overhaul revealed.

“This is a team that clearly needs a lot of help. They recognize that.”

"This is a team that clearly needs a lot of help. They recognize that."@Ken_Rosenthal explains why the Angels fired their pitching coaches under manager John Mozeliak. pic.twitter.com/scZSpNU8ua

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) August 12, 2026

Maddux’s dismissal stands out because of his extensive record as a major league pitching coach. At the time of the firings Tuesday, the Angels had a 4.51 team ERA, led MLB in walks, and ranked near the bottom of the league in quality starts.

Mozeliak said the remaining 43 games give Los Angeles an opportunity to implement different processes immediately. The interim appointments allow the organization to evaluate improvements before making offseason decisions.

The urgency reflects the challenge facing the Angels. The franchise has completed 10 consecutive losing seasons and missed the playoffs for 11 straight years, leaving little evidence that incremental adjustments have produced meaningful progress.

Rosenthal’s assessment captured the reality behind the firings. The Angels has changed its baseball operations leadership and traded veterans. Reworking the pitching staff represents another step in Mozeliak’s effort to establish a stronger development structure and accelerate the rebuilding process.

This article first appeared on MLB on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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