Future Hall of Famer, reportedly in the running to become the next Los Angeles Angels manager, is also drawing interest from the Baltimore Orioles, according to an ESPN report.
While the Orioles have yet to formally interview Albert Pujols, 45, the retired slugger has made no secret of his ambition to manage in the majors. After a 22-year playing career—spent mostly with the St. Louis Cardinals and Angels—Pujols retired in 2022. The three-time National League MVP (2005, 2008, 2009) recently guided Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Winter League to a championship in January and is slated to manage the Dominican Republic in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Baltimore, a team rich in young talent, took a step back in 2025 after winning the AL East in 2023 with 101 victories and posting 91 wins in 2024.
The club dismissed manager Brandon Hyde on May 17 following a 15–28 start. Interim manager Tony Mansolino steadied the ship to a 60–59 record, finishing the season at 75–87. Mansolino remains under consideration for the full-time job, but the Orioles are exploring external options as well.
There are connections between Pujols and the Orioles’ front office. Mike Elias, Baltimore’s president of baseball operations, was a scout with the Cardinals during Pujols’s prime years. Additionally, former Pujols teammate Matt Holliday is the father of top Orioles prospect Jackson Holliday.
The Angels remain closely linked to Pujols, with general manager Perry Minasian reportedly meeting with him last week in St. Louis.
Along with the Orioles and Angels, several other teams—the Atlanta Braves, Colorado Rockies, Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, and Washington Nationals—are also searching for new managers.
Over his illustrious career, Pujols hit .296 with 703 home runs, 2,218 RBIs, a .374 on-base percentage, and a .544 slugging percentage. He played for the Cardinals (2001–11, 2022), Angels (2012–21), and Dodgers (2021), winning two World Series titles with St. Louis in 2006 and 2011. The 2001 NL Rookie of the Year was an 11-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glove winner, six-time Silver Slugger, and recipient of both the 2008 Roberto Clemente Award and the 2022 NL Comeback Player of the Year honor.