Kurt Suzuki Named Angels Manager Press Event, October 22, 2025

Kurt Suzuki Named Angels Manager Press Event, October 22, 2025

Uki as our new manager of the Angels. Before we get started, I’d like to give a special welcome to Kurt’s family. His wife Renee, uh, their three children, Malia, Kai, and Eli are in the front row. Um, also thank you to John Carpino joining us today. Chairman Dennis Cool. I believe senior adviser Bill Stoneman was floating around at some point. Um, Angels Hall of Famer Chuck Finley’s here. Um, also Michelle Manazian, thank you for joining us. U members of our baseball operations staff are here as well, including Eddie Gordado. There’s also some other special folks here that we’d like to acknowledge. Um, some of Kurt’s former Cal State Fullerton teammates are here, John Wilhigh and Joe Tersian. Um, so thank you everybody for coming. Uh, at this point I’m going to um hand it over to general manager Perry Manazian to give Kurt his uh jersey and give some opening remarks. smaller jersey than when he played by the way. Thank goodness I was worried about that in pretty good shape. [Applause] As I said, we’re going to have uh Perry give some opening remarks, followed by Kurt Suzuki, and then we’ll open it up to questions. So, uh I got to tell you, I don’t know if I’ve ever been this excited to give somebody an opportunity like this. Um, you know, the individual on my right is one of the best human beings you will ever meet in baseball and outside of baseball. Um, to me that’s really, really important in a leadership role. Um, you know, it’s an exciting day. It really is. It’s an exciting day. I’d like to thank Arty Carol for giving me the giving me the opportunity to make this decision. I’d like to thank John with all his assistance and help throughout the process. It was a grueling process. We talked to a lot of people. Um, we had some great candidates. We really did. We had some great candidates and and it just shows, you know, part of this prospect, part of this process really showed me how great this place is and how great this place can be, you know, just with the amount of people that wanted to at least discuss the job. um you know and and and the the just the respect for the organization and and what it is and how we treat our people and how we treat our players and so on and so forth. So it’s it’s a really exciting day for me personally. Obviously had him as a player. He’s worked with us from a front office standpoint over the last three years. It’s a great baseball mind. and I made a ton of phone calls and and one of the things I wanted to specifically do was separate my relationship, you know, with him and get people’s opinions. And, you know, I I called a lot of our players that played with him that have been around him the last couple years. And one of our veteran players that I really really respect, uh, who’s who’s seen a lot, been through a lot, asked his particular opinion about just manager in general. and you know Kurt’s name popped up and he said it’s the best baseball brain in the building and there’s not even a close second and that meant a lot. So um as good of a baseball brain it’s an even better human being. It’s it’s somebody that I believe will be here for a long long time, you know, and and somebody who’s going to take us uh to to where we’re not sitting here talking, but we’re playing, right? And that’s the goal is to play in October and play for championships. And you know, the again the person on my right, I wouldn’t there’s nobody else I’d rather have sitting here right now. And you know, one of the things from a baseball standpoint, you know, you know, again, I called a lot of people, got some great advice, and you know, somebody equated a baseball season to going into a submarine, right? And and you’re with each other for a long time, you know, and once the hatch closes, there’s no getting out of the submarine. And you better like who’s in it. And again, there’s no there’s nobody else I’d rather be in the submarine with. So, um, you know, congratulations to Kurt. I know it’s this is a really important thing for him. Does not have to do this. You know, he’s he did well with his career on and off the field. You know, um you know, he wanted to he really loves this place. You know, a big draw to me was he lives here, right? And uh obviously his kids go to school here and they’re going to give him pressure to win games so they don’t get teased at school, right? It’s a big part of it. So, uh great person, tough when he needs to be tough. understands the game, understands both sides of the ball. You know, we’ve talked about this a lot. You know, we need to improve on the mound, right? We need to improve from a pitching and defense standpoint. He understands that part of the game. We need to improve with contact at the plate. No secret. He did that when he hit, right? There were times to, you know, take some big swings and and maybe do some damage and there were times to put the ball in the play and he’s experienced all of that. So, couldn’t imagine anybody better for this spot. It’s a one-year deal. He’s tied in with me. So, uh, for us and and just in sports in general, right? Everybody’s on a one-year deal. So, you know, that’s just the way the that’s just the way sports is, professional sports is. Um, you know, this is going to be a great relationship. I think he’s going to create a great environment. And like I said, I believe this person is going to lead us to some places we haven’t been in a while. Thank you, Perry. Kurt, you have comments? Yeah. Um, thanks everyone for being here. What an exciting day for me, my family. Uh, first, I’d like to thank Arty and Carol uh, for giving me this opportunity. I’m so grateful for this opportunity. I’m so excited. I’d like to thank John Carpino for also believing in me. Our relationship over the years uh is is awesome. What a great human being. Um, Perry, thank you so much for this opportunity. Also, like Perry said, right, um, you know, Perry’s one of one of the best baseball minds that I’ve been around. He’s grown up in the clubhouse. He’s been in places where he’s won and he understands the game. And I think our relationship from that alone, um, for myself to be able to learn, to be able to work with Perry for the last three years in the front office, it kind of opened my eyes a little bit, um, to some different things. Uh, next, I know I’m kind of rambling on a little bit, but I’d like to thank uh my beautiful wife in the front row, Renee, Malia, Kai, Eli. Um, this means a lot to me. I’m excited for this opportunity. My mom and dad at home watching. Geez, Perry, every time I talk funny, I cry. But, uh, no, I just want you guys to know this. Um, this does mean a lot to me. And, uh, I’m excited for this opportunity. Like I said, I’m excited to work um for this fan base, for this ownership, for this front office, and especially for the players. I’ve I’ve been in that that building. I’ve been in those shoes before, and it’s um it’s a grind, and I feel like I can relate to these guys on every single level. I’ve I’ve been on teams with high expectations that haven’t won. Uh I’ve been on teams that had low expectations and won. So, I feel like I can relate to both parties. And I think that’s one of my strengths. But, um, yeah, I’m super excited, like I said, uh, for this opportunity. I’m ready to get going, get to work, and like Perry said, um, there’s goals here. There’s standards here that we’re going to set, and I’m looking forward to it. So, thank you, K. Perry, thank you. Um, to members of our media, we have a microphone that’s wireless. If you could please wait um, till you get it before you ask your questions, just raise your hand and uh, and we’ll get it over to you since Go ahead, Red. Marco’s coming. Please introduce yourself even though I know most of you know Kurt. Hey Kurt, congrats. Uh Reper with MLB.com. I guess just how long had you been looking to get into managing? I know you don’t have an experience. I feel like you can kind of overcome that as well. Yeah, I mean I don’t I don’t think actively looking is the right word. Obviously opportunities come up. Me being in the front office the last three years with Perry, obviously my last two years. And I feel like just being in the position that I was as a catcher, seeing the game from a different lens, um both sides of the ball, right? Understanding offense and defense, how important both sides are. It just something that excited me. Um like I said, it wasn’t something that was actively going out there like putting my name out there, whether the right opportunity came up being with the right person at the helm with Perry. Um what he means, you know, to obviously myself and my family. I feel like um that was something that excited me and obviously a special place here in Anaheim. I went to Cal State Fullerton, you know, won a national championship there and was in college when the Angels uh last won the World Series in 2002. That was my freshman year and how amazing the city, the support, the fans. Um it it just excited me. Hey Kurt, uh Sam Blum with the Athletic, congratulations. I’m curious on the one-year Dale element. Is that something that, you know, had you asked for more? I mean, what how did that kind of come together? Because it’s kind of rare for, you know, a new hireer to get a one-year deal. Um, I think the last six years of my career were on one-year deals, right? And I feel and I just kept going. Um, but listen, I want to be here. I want to do this job. And I feel like throughout my career, I had to prove myself every single year. And you know, it doesn’t scare me. It only fuels me to be better. Uh I’m always looking for ways to be better as a coach, as a person, as a mentor, whatever you want to call it. One your deals doesn’t scare me. It is what it is. I’m I’m going to do my job to the best of my ability, and go from there. Take it day by day. Hey, Kirk. Greg Bechum with the AP. Congratulations. what managers in your career have made an impact on you as a player and what do you want to take from those guys into your job as a as a manager for the first time? You know, there’s I guess there’s benefits of playing as long as I did in the major leagues, right? I played for I I believe I think we counted like nine different managers and each manager I played for did a lot of things right and did a lot of good things that I learned from. And so I don’t think pinpointing one thing is something to do. I think just being able to learn from a bunch of those great baseball minds what they brought to the table playing this long and learning from them. I think that’s going to help me help me throughout the season, throughout my coaching career and moving forward. Uh I’m excited to to use some of the things that I’ve learned from some great guys that I’ve I’ve played for over the years. and uh you know I think that’s something that I was blessed uh to be a part of. Hey Kurt uh Jeff Fletcher OC register congratulations. Thank you. Uh obviously several people have had this job in the last few years. Very good baseball people have a lot of success, a lot of experience and they have not had the success here. What do you think you can offer that can change that? I’ve I’m myself right and I don’t compare myself to anybody. Um, I know what I’m going to bring to the table and like you said, they’re great baseball men and I have so much respect for them. But like I said, I myself I have confidence in my abilities. I have confidence in my ability to relate to players on every different level. And what I bring to the table, I’m going to share with the kids, the players. I guess maybe someone just as old as I am, but uh should share with them. I’m just looking forward for this opportunity to to create something special here in Anaheim that, you know, wasn’t happening the last whatever how many years. And I’m just looking to, like I said, I’m not trying to recreate invent the new game of baseball, right? I’m here to do my job. I’m here to create an atmosphere that people want to be a part of. And with the talent that we have on this roster that Perry has created as has on this roster, I feel like there’s a lot of potential. And it’s our job as myself, as our coaching staff to get the best out of these kids. And that’s the goal every single year. Thomas and Rhett both. Marco, we’ll start with Thomas. Akar, congratulations. Thomas Murray from the Sporting Tribune. Uh, one of my questions for you is just kind of what does it mean for you to go from walk-on at Cal State Fullerton to spending, you know, the last five years as a player and in the front office to now manager of the team. Uh, what a whirlwind, you know, uh, growing up being born and raised in in Maui, Hawaii. Uh, walking on at Cal State, uh, what a special story. And I tell my kids all the time, I said, “You you guys are creating a story for yourself to tell when your kids um you have kids.” And it it’s a special thing because I feel like, like I said earlier, I had to prove myself in every single level. Nothing was ever handed to me, which I I really wanted it that way because I guess my parents raised me to earn everything that you get and to go for everything that you get, have dreams, have goals. Uh, like I said, I’d be crazy if I was sitting here today telling you this is where I would be. Uh, when when I left high school going to college, I’m not saying that, but I’m saying every step I took, I earned. I prepared myself. I envisioned myself going to the next step, and we’re here today in this next journey that I’m about to embark on. Um, and I’m excited for it. Hey Kurt, you’ve been around the organization now for the last five years or so. How close do you guys think you are to getting kind of back into contention? And have you seen some growth from that in that young core? There’s definitely growth. I I feel like there’s great pieces. I feel like being around here the last three years, seeing what Perry has done, seeing the players that he has drafted, has acquired, seeing the talent that we have in the minor leagues, talking to Joey, um seeing what we have down there. I feel like there’s potential. Obviously, I think it would be almost irresponsible for me to say we’re close or, you know, put expectations that way. I know the kids are going to get better every single day when we when we get this thing rolling. And wherever that leads them, it leads them. I think they’re going to develop at their own pace. Obviously, we would want it as fast as we can, right, Perry? But, um, our goal is to get these kids better at the end of the day and get these kids ready to help us at the major league level as soon as they can. I have very high expectations, high hopes, whatever you want to call it. I’m excited for the new crop of players coming up and I can’t wait to get to work. Um, what was kind of the pro like the timeline of this? I mean, you know, I know there have been a lot of out a lot out there about Albert Poohles. When did you kind of first get engaged in this process? Maybe that’d be a question for Perry as well. Yeah, I think that’s that’s more Perry’s decision or talk. Yeah, we spoke to a lot of different people. So, um, you know, obviously Kurt was somebody that, you know, I talked to early in the process, asked if he had interest in at least interviewing in the role. Um, had I don’t know how many conversations with him pertaining to the job. Uh, we had a chance to sit down with him last week. It was myself, David Haynes, John Pratt, um, Joey Pervinsky, if I’m not mistaken. Had a great um had a great meal and and good conversation. And the biggest thing what what was obviously there’s a relationship there, right? So um you know he was somebody that for me we had an idea of walking into the door. It wasn’t the the background work. We did that background work, don’t get me wrong, but we didn’t have to do as much as some of the guys that we interviewed that have been managers before that haven’t been in this organization. Um there was a lot more work put into that. So you know we wanted to do our due diligence. We interviewed a lot of people. Um, you know, but at the end of the day, this is, in my opinion, this is the best hireer we could have made. And I I believe he’s going to be a better manager than he was player. And he was a pretty damn good player. Perry, obviously, uh, pitching has been a big issue, and Kurt having been a catcher should have some influence on that. Just can you speak to that specifically to how much you think he can help the pitchers? Absolutely. That was a big draw. That was an absolutely uh that was an that was a big draw to Kurt and his background and uh talking to some of our players and and the importance of developing our own pitching, right? The the importance of whoever we acquire maximizing their potential. Um and with pitching comes catching, right? It goes it goes hand in hand, you know, and developing some of our catching. Obviously, Logan is a big part of this thing and they have a great relationship and and he’s he’s I believe Logan could turn into an all-star player, you know, and and he’s got that type of potential. And obviously with the guy sitting to the right of me, that’s going to help that, right? So, u whether it was pitching, whether it was defense, whether it was situational stuff, we talked a lot about just game situations, you know, things decisions that have to be made when you’re in in the dugout, right? infield in, infield back, extra innings, you know, uh, bunting, hit and run, all those types of things, the playing the game. And the one thing I love about Kurt, uh, is he’s been exposed to all of it. He’s been on different teams that have to do different things. Um, you know, he he talked about how one of the things he talked about was just in general, you know, and it’s small. It’s it’s a small thing, but it’s a big thing, right? Being able to bunt. and we take it for granted and act like it’s easy, but it’s tougher to do at the big league level in this in today’s day and age. He talked about when he played and what he did to be become a good bunter and bunting every day and doing certain things like that. So, there’s a lot of experience there uh improving in different areas that might not have been his strong suit. You I’m expecting to put together a really good coaching staff, you know, and and he’s going to play a enormous part in that. You know, he’s he’s going to want to surround himself with the right people. And uh we’ve got some hungry players. We’ve got some motivated players. We took a step last year, you know, from from the previous year. I expect to take another significant step next year and he’s the person that’s uh going to be in charge of that. Jeff Muller. Hi Kurt. Straight ahead. Congratulations. You mentioned Hawaii earlier and I know when you were a player that’s something that you took a a great deal of pride in. If my understanding correct, you’re the first Hawaiianborn uh manager. How does that distinction make you feel? Uh, it makes me feel proud. Obviously, my roots in Hawaii is something special to myself and you know, like you said, I’ I’ve made that known, right? I’m proud to be from Hawaii. I’m proud to be from a small island of Maui and to be sitting here today talking to you guys as a manager for for the Angels. Uh, it’s special. Uh, I hope I can be a good role model for these kids growing up. I hope I can give these kids dreams and goals to strive for as they get older in whatever they embark on in their lives. And it’s just to help to help people, help kids, help, you know, um, in general, just give these kids hope and dreams and goals and and for myself that that’s a big thing for myself, especially coming from Maui, understanding the challenges that there are uh, being from a small island out in the middle of the Pacific. And, you know, me sitting here today, if I can impact one kid, uh, I’ve done my job. So, that’s what the hope is for. and and I’m excited to do this. Hey, Kurt over here. Um, right over here. Um, you know, you mentioned just taking on the role for the first time and yesterday probably being a very busy day. I’m just curious, have you talked to any of the players yet and what have just reactions been, conversations? Yeah. Uh, majority of the players reached out to me and and that right there for myself, uh, the relationships that I have with them, the text message that I got, it was definitely, um, awesome to hear from them. Um, like I said, I I’m excited to get to work. I’m excited to build re more relationships with these with these players and to hear from them yesterday. The excitement, the energy that they had, uh congratulations, that stuff all means a lot to me. You know, that’s that’s what I prided myself in when I was playing is building these special relationships with players, with coaches, with front office, whatever it was. These relationships are what last forever. You know, baseball come and go, but these relationships that you build, they last forever. So, I’m excited for that. Fletcher. Hey Kurt, uh you mentioned a lot of these players were your teammates not too long ago. Is that going to be uh weird for you or how do you think you’re going to get to change the relationship to where you’re now their boss? I mean, that’s a good question, right? Because I did play with them. But at the end of the day, baseball is baseball. We’re out there for the same goal. We’re out there to win as many games as we can. And we’re out there to to get better each and every day and pull for each other. And whether I’m a player, I’m a manager, it doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, we got to go between the lines and we got to score more runs than the other team. And I feel like these players respect that. They understand that. And like I this is, you know, once we get going, they’ll understand more of what I expect, the standards that we we’re going to hold, you know, to these kids and and they’re going to be excited. And I’m, like I said, I’m looking forward to it and I’m looking forward to to moving in the right direction. Cooji. Hi, C. Hi. Hi. uh president uh uh describe the your angel baseball in one word. My angel baseball I guess for a lack of better words, right? Grit, maybe another word, determination, right? Another word hard. All those things come to mind. Everybody’s talented. Everybody has talent, right? Now it’s what’s inside here and what’s up here at the end of the day that’s what matters the most. Yeah, you can have the stats telling you you’re this, but if you don’t have this or you don’t have this, it’s going to be hard to compete. So, um, there’s more than three words, but I hope that explained it. Sam, I’m curious like you you’ve been in this organization since 21, right? I mean, you’ve you’ve seen kind of the same results year after year. What what is your diagnosis of kind of maybe where that why it hasn’t gotten to that next level and what can you do differently to get them there? The why um is a good question. What I can tell you is these boys are going to be prepared every single day to go out there and perform. And they’re going to be prepared. They’re going to work hard. They’re going to do what they have to do to be successful. And we can control what we can control, right? We can’t worry about the results a lot of times. I know this is a resultsbased game environment, and I understand that. But if we focus on the details, the little things like Perry said, the bunting, the hit and run, finding ways to manufacture runs, throw strikes, pitching and defense, if we do all those things, I’ll take my chances with this group because, like I said, Perry has has brought in such a talented group of young players and and I’m just looking forward to to prepare them for battle each and every day to go out there and and be better on that night against any given team, whoever we’re playing. Margaret Kurt. Hi. When you were growing up, did your parents instill gamb’s translator? Gambat is give it your all. Yes, I know that. Yeah. Gam is perseverance. Yes, I believe so. Yes. Like I said, it was never easy for me. Like I wasn’t the biggest. I wasn’t the strongest. I wasn’t the fastest, right? But I had I felt like I had determination. I had this will succeed, whatever I had to do. And I feel like that helped me in my playing career. Um, like I told you, there’s kids like Aaron Judge, Freddy Freeman, all these B all these kids that are bigger and stronger and better than me. But I feel like what separated myself to to prolong my career as long as it did was the determination and heart. like I said earlier and perseverance and give it my all. And at the end of the day, that’s all you can do really, right? You can go out there and play as hard as you can. And if you can look in the mirror, win or lose, and say, “I gave it everything I got.” You can live with yourself, right? And that’s that’s my goal. That’s what I instill in my kids, and that’s what we’re going to do as a team. Thomas, hey, Barry, I have a question for you. Um, your brother just hired Tony Batello over there with the Giants. I’m just curious, was he on your list of candidates for the position? Yeah, I’m not going to get into specific names as far as the other candidates. Um, there’s a lot of really qualified people. Uh, very interesting pool of candidates out there. The people we talked to were obviously it was it was definitely worth the conversations we had with the numerous people we spoke to about the job. But at the end of the day, um, you know, today is is about this about him and and where we’re going, right? and who he is and who we’re going to be as a team. And I couldn’t be more excited.

On October 22, 2025, the Los Angeles Angels held a media event to introduce Kurt Suzuki as their next manager.

The original video is on the Angels’ website at https://www.mlb.com/angels/video/live-angels-press-conference-193095. The audio volume has been increased due to low volume on the original recording.