Los Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington is stepping away from the team indefinitely due to a health concern, the club confirmed Friday.<\/p>\n
The 73-year-old veteran will not be in the dugout for the foreseeable future, handing managerial duties over to bench coach Ray Montgomery, CBS Sports<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Washington is expected to be present at Friday night\u2019s game against the Houston Astros. However, he will observe from a suite alongside general manager Perry Minasian rather than from the field.<\/p>\n Reports indicate Washington has not been feeling well in recent days, prompting the decision to temporarily step away.<\/p>\n In his second season leading the Angels, Washington has helped guide a roster that has outperformed expectations.<\/p>\n Despite a minus-60 run differential, the team has managed to stay close to .500, entering Friday night\u2019s matchup with a 36-38 record. They’re just 6 \u00bd games back in the AL West and two behind the final wild-card slot. That kind of performance has kept the Angels in the postseason conversation longer than most projected.<\/p>\n Washington, a beloved figure in Major League Baseball, is in his 10th season overall as a manager. He spent eight years managing the Texas Rangers, leading them to back-to-back American League pennants in 2010 and 2011.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n After several years as a third-base coach and instructor with the Atlanta Braves, he joined the Angels in 2023 as their manager.<\/p>\n Montgomery, 55, now steps into the role with the challenge of sustaining the team\u2019s momentum. A former big leaguer who played 47 MLB games\u2014all with the Astros\u2014between 1996 and 1998, Montgomery has served as the Angels\u2019 bench coach since 2022. His post-playing career includes time in scouting and front-office roles with the Brewers, Diamondbacks and Angels.<\/p>\n As the Angels navigate a crucial midseason stretch, all eyes will be on how Montgomery handles the pressure and how quickly Washington might return.<\/p>\n For now, the Angels must push forward with an interim leader and hope their skipper\u2019s recovery is swift and complete.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Related: Kobe Bryant’s Nephew Announces College Football Commitment<\/a><\/p>\n