Angels’ Ron Washington out indefinitely due to health matter

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Los Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington will be out indefinitely because of health issues, and bench coach Ray Montgomery managed Friday night’s series-opening 3-2, 10-inning loss to the Houston Astros.

Washington, 73, experienced shortness of breath and appeared fatigued toward the end of a four-game series against the Yankees. Yankees doctors cleared him to fly home with the team Thursday night, and underwent a series of medical tests Friday.

General manager Perry Minasian announced Washington’s status before the game.

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The Angels did not specify what symptoms Washington is experiencing, but said the manager was able to address the team in the clubhouse along with Minasian on Friday. He was able to watch Friday’s game from the GM’s Angel Stadium suite. Washington was not made available to the media.

“Wash has not felt great the last couple of days,” Minasian said. “We want to make sure he’s 100 percent before he’s back in the dugout and managing. How long it’s going to take, I don’t know. I don’t expect it to be too long.

“We all know how important this is for all of us, but health is more important than anything, and me personally, I’m not letting him back in the dugout until I know he’s 100 percent, OK. I love the guy too much.”

Washington, who managed the Texas Rangers to back-to-back World Series in 2010 and 2011, was hired by Minasian before the 2024 season in which the Angels lost a franchise-record 99 games.

The Angels dropped to 36-39 with Friday’s loss. Entering the game, they were 15-6 in one-run games, a major league-best .714 winning percentage and 5-0 in extra innings.

“He wants to manage — I don’t know if he’s ever missed a game — but at the end of the day, you have to make tough decisions,” Minasian said. “For me, I want to make sure the guy is absolutely healthy, and physically, he’s in the right place before we put him back in the dugout.

“We play some close games. They’re not the types of games you can sit back, kick your feet up and just watch. They’re pretty tight games, stressful games, and I want to make sure he’s good to go health-wise before he gets back in the dugout.”

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.