Angels’ interim GM John Mozeliak outlines GM search, ownership timeline and offseason constraints after GM Meetings

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

ANAHEIM — With the annual GM Meetings now complete, the Los Angeles Angels’ offseason outlook remains closely tied to a pending ownership change and to a GM search that is still in its early stages. In updates provided during the GM Meetings, interim general manager John Mozeliak said the club is casting a wide net in its search for its next general manager and that KSE officials have started preliminary interviews with potential candidates, even though the process is not yet at the shortlist phase.

Mozeliak said the Angels are in a difficult position operationally because they are waiting on new ownership to be officially approved. He indicated that a vote on the ownership change is not expected to happen this month, even with the Owners Meetings scheduled for next week, meaning the Angels will continue moving forward with a search while the final ownership status is still pending.

Within that context, Mozeliak described a limited scope for immediate offseason moves as interim GM. He said his main objective at the GM Meetings was to gather information about both the free-agent and trade markets and share that market intelligence with KSE. With Mozeliak’s contract set to expire next month, he indicated it does not seem likely that he will make any significant moves as interim GM before then.

The timing of the offseason market is a key part of the Angels’ situation. The source noted that the current Collective Bargaining Agreement is set to expire on Dec. 1, and that there has been talk coming out of Las Vegas about increased activity in free agency during the following month. It also referenced recent signings elsewhere in the market, including reliever Evan Phillips signing a three-year, $35 million deal with the Braves and first baseman Jake Bauers agreeing to a four-year, $58 million pact with the Red Sox.

Even so, Mozeliak said the Angels still need to add to their roster this offseason, with a specific emphasis on avoiding rushing the team’s younger players or prospects. He identified roster needs across multiple areas, including the outfield, second base and third base, catcher, and the bullpen. According to the update, those needs do not appear likely to be addressed via free agency in the short term, though the club could still pursue trades during the month.

On the team’s GM search, Mozeliak said KSE has begun preliminary interviews and suggested that the ownership group could prefer younger candidates. He connected this to what he described as KSE’s approach in other sports, pointing to youthful leadership examples such as Rams GM Les Snead and coach Sean McVay, Nuggets GM Tim Connolly, Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar and Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta. The updates attributed to Mozeliak framed this as part of how KSE is trying to determine how winning organizations operate.

Mozeliak also said he has been staying in touch with Kevin Demoff, KSE’s president of team and media operations, as part of the overall process. The source described Demoff as the longtime Rams president who also oversees the other clubs owned by KSE. At the same time, Mozeliak said KSE and Demoff have the ability to conduct their own interviews, and that he has not been fully apprised of every candidate being evaluated, suggesting his role may become more involved only if and when names are narrowed.

Despite the involvement of KSE and the ongoing search, Mozeliak indicated he is prepared for a transition once his interim term ends. The update stated he believed he would be more involved as the process advances but said he is fully content walking away after his contract is up and that he never considered an advisor position.

In addition to the leadership and roster search, the Angels also outlined continuity on the organizational coaching side. The update said the club declined Kurt Suzuki’s option as manager for the 2027 season, while offering him a position as a special assistant, a role he ultimately accepted. It was further noted that the special assistant assignment is the same type of role Suzuki held from 2023 to 2025 before being made manager last year.

The source also reported that several members of the coaching staff will remain with the organization but in reassigned roles. Pitching coaches Tim Leveque and Michael Wuertz, hitting coach Jobel Jiménez and third-base coach Keith Johnson will stay with the Angels’ overall structure and are currently assigned to Minor League positions. Leveque is listed as Minor League pitching coordinator, Wuertz as Triple-A Salt Lake pitching coach, Jiménez as Single-A Rancho Cucamonga hitting coach, and Johnson as a Minor League baserunning and outfield coordinator.

Finally, the update left open the possibility that changes could return those coaches to the Major League staff. It stated that any of the listed coaches could be re-added to the Major League staff if the new regime desires, aligning with the broader theme that the Angels’ offseason actions may ultimately depend on how the ownership approval and GM decision timeline develops.

Mozeliak’s comments, as conveyed in the GM Meetings context, point to an offseason defined by parallel processes: market intelligence gathering and trade/free-agent planning on one track, and ownership approval plus GM candidate evaluation on another. With those timelines still moving and interim authority constrained, the Angels’ next leadership choice and roster moves may become clearer as KSE’s interview process progresses.