ARLINGTON, Texas — Ron Washington smiled and joked his way through his first press conference in more than two months, and he ended it with a bang.
The Angels’ manager lifted his shirt to show the scars from his quadruple bypass surgery.
Washington has been on a medical leave since June 20, but the team left it up to him to disclose the nature of the issue once he was ready. That day came on Monday, when Washington joined the Angels in Texas, and detailed what he had gone through.
Washington, whose medical leave will extend for the rest of this season, said he would like to come back and manage the Angels next season. His contract currently contains an option for next season. Washington said it’s up to General Manager Perry Minasian, but he left no question about his desire.
“Without a doubt,” Washington said of his hope to return. “It’s my passion. … I miss baseball. This is my life, and if Perry will have me back, I’m certainly wanting to come back and finish what we started.”
Minasian, who is in Texas with the team, declined to address any questions about who will manage the Angels in 2026, opting to keep Monday’s focus on Washington’s improved health.
Washington, who at 73 is the oldest manager in MLB, said he underwent the heart procedure on June 30, after weeks of not feeling well and then a battery of tests that revealed he had blockages in the valves of his heart.
Washington remained hospitalized in Southern California for about a week after the procedure, and since then he’s been at home in New Orleans, regaining his strength and changing his life.
“My eating habits have changed,” Washington said. “I no longer smoke. I’m telling you, people have been after me for years about that, and it took a bypass for me to stop smoking. But I’m through smoking. I’ve changed my eating habits. I’m sleeping better, and I’m stress-free. I just feel stress-free. I mean, that’s simply because I’m not making decisions right now.”
Anyone who has been around Washington in baseball for the past few decades has seen him constantly sneaking cigarettes around the dugout, but he said that’s finally over.
“If you see me smoking a cigarette anywhere, I give you the OK to walk up to me and slap me,” Washington said.
Washington said he’s been doing cardio workouts and some light weightlifting to try and gain back what he lost in the aftermath of the procedure. He said he is down 17 pounds from his weight before all of this began.
Washington said he was feeling unwell when the Angels were in New York to play the Yankees in mid-June. Doctors in New York determined that Washington needed tests on his heart, but he wanted to return to Southern California to begin that process.
Washington was at Angel Stadium during the first days of his medical leave, and he told those around him that he thought he would only miss a week or so.
“The first day I was in the hospital, and they took tests, everything was fine,” Washington said. “I thought I was passing it with flying colors. And then when they finally decided to do the angiogram, which was an in-depth look into my heart, they found out that I had some blockage, and the blockage was in the valves. It wasn’t where they could do stents or balloons. So they said they had to do the bypass.”
While Washington has been out, he has kept in close contact with the team. He said he has watched all the games and spoke regularly to Minasian and interim manager Ray Montgomery. Players also kept in touch with him.
When Washington returned to the ballpark on Monday, he brought his normal optimistic disposition.
“He looks like himself,” outfielder Jo Adell said. “So I’m just really glad to see him out here. And I know everybody here is pretty excited he’s around.”
Washington said he will remain with the Angels in Arlington and then for the four-game series in Houston. He will skip Kansas City next week, but then plans to be with the team in Anaheim in September.
He said he’s eager to be a part of what he still believes is a team heading in the right direction. The Angels are 61-69, including a 25-31 record since he’s been out.
“I like what I see in the guys,” Washington said. “Yeah, we’re a little short, but I can tell you what. I’ve been watching our opponents. They’re starting to respect us. Even though our record doesn’t say much, they’re starting to respect us by the way we have grown and the way our young core is growing. They’re getting better every day.”
That’s why Washington wants to manage the Angels again.
“I want to do this until we get it right,” Washington said. “I want to finish what we started.”
NOTES
Right-handed relief pitcher Ben Joyce (shoulder surgery) stopped by the clubhouse on Monday because he’s in town to have a follow up with Dr. Keith Meister. Joyce said he’s expecting to start throwing within a month, but it’s still too early to know whether he’ll be ready for the start of spring training. “It’s going great,” Joyce said. “I feel like I’m in the best shape my life. Shoulder feels good. So it’s come along better than than I could have expected.” …
Mike Trout was not in the lineup on Monday. Montgomery said he “thought it was a good day to get him a day” because of the travel from Anaheim on Sunday night. Trout also went hitless in 10 at-bats, with seven strikeouts, over the weekend. The three-time American League MVP hit .195 over his previous 13 games, and he hasn’t hit a home run in the past 15 games. …
Outfielder Jorge Soler (back) traveled with the team to Texas. Soler has started taking some swings, in addition to running and throwing. “Good progression,” Montgomery said. …
Left-hander Tyler Anderson was placed on the paternity list on Monday. Right-hander Sam Bachman was added to the roster to take Anderson’s place. Anderson is still scheduled to start in the series finale on Wednesday.
UP NEXT
Angels (LHP Yusei Kikuchi, 6-8, 3.42 ERA) at Rangers (LHP Patrick Corbin, 6-9, 4.61 ERA), Tuesday, 5:05 p.m. PT, FDSN West, 830 AM