Don Mattingly's Phillies contract puts Angels' managerial status in an uncomfortable light

News surrounding the Los Angeles Angels managerial position has been sparse. Kurt Suzuki signed a one-year contract last offseason that included multiple options, but now, a few weeks into the Halos' offseason, nothing has been announced.

While no teams have signed a new manager to a contract yet, initial interviews are starting, and other teams have had their current managers sign new deals. The first was the Boston Red Sox, who got their interim manager to sign a multi-year contract before the end of the season. Next was the Mets, and now the Philadelphia Phillies have got their man locked up too.

It didn't take the Phillies long to pivot away from Alex Cora, twice. First, they offered him the job back when they fired Rob Thompson back in April, which he declined, and they in turn promoted their bench coach, Don Mattingly, to interim manager. Then, they offered Cora the job again after the season, which he declined again, and so Mattingly got a two-year deal to return.

Don Mattingly may not have been Angels option, but it's one less candidate then they had before

While teams locking up their own managers doesn't directly affect the Angels' own managerial search, it does continue to remove potential candidates from the board. It was very unlikely that Mattingly was going to manage the Angels next season, but that's one less candidate to choose from, and one less opening for available managers, which could give them urgency to find a new job.

At this point in the offseason, the Angels should have started at least putting a shortlist together, but because they are dragging their feet, they are falling far behind. The Angels need to first make a decision on Suzuki. They cannot look at outside candidates until they officially tell him that they are not picking up the option on his contract. If they decide to bring him back, great, problem solved, but every day they wait is a day that other good candidates interview elsewhere and potentially get offers.

The lack of a decision on Suzuki is likely tied to the lack of a decision on John Mozeliak, but all of it is tied together. If one is holding up the other, they need to get it figured out. If they are fine signing a manager before signing a GM, then get a move on with Suzuki.

The Angels are about to step into a new era that should be much greener than the last. Who leads that next era is obviously an important choice that needs careful consideration, but they can't wait too long. They need to start making some decisions, or the right person for the job could come and go before they even have the chance to interview them.

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