The Los Angeles Angels fired pitching coach Mike Maddux, assistant pitching coach Darryl Scott, and bullpen coach Dom Chiti on Tuesday, turning to interim replacements Tim Leveque and Michael Wuertz as the organization navigates a dismal 45-74 season and a looming twelfth consecutive year without a postseason appearance.
The sweeping changes on the pitching end of the coaching staff come as the organization attempts a late-season philosophical shift. Bleacher Report noted that the organization has resisted a full fire sale in recent years despite an 11-year playoff drought that wasted the primes of Mike Trout and former superstar Shohei Ohtani. That resistance finally gave way in 2026, culminating in a flurry of front-office and dugout turnover.
Coaching Dismissals and Interim Promotions Under Mozeliak
The housecleaning was confirmed shortly after initial reports surfaced regarding the departures of Maddux, Scott, and Chiti. Interim general manager John Mozeliak explained the decision in a statement released by the club, pointing toward a forward-looking evaluation process.
“After spending time discussing with Kurt where we are as a coaching staff and where we want to go in the future, we felt it was best to make a change. With seven weeks remaining, we plan to use this time to evaluate what additional steps are needed to elevate our entire pitching program and best position us for success moving forward.”
John Mozeliak, Interim GM
To fill the vacancies for the remainder of the schedule, the Angels promoted Double-A pitching coach Tim Leveque to interim pitching coach and assistant pitching coordinator Michael Wuertz to interim bullpen coach. The staff now faces the challenge of stabilizing a unit that has struggled to find consistency.
Statistical Struggles on the Mound
While individual bright spots existed—such as strong campaigns from Reid Detmers and José Soriano, alongside breakout performances from relievers traded earlier in the year like Chase Silseth and Ryan Zeferjahn—the collective numbers remained stark. Bleacher Report detailed the team’s steep pitching deficits, including a 4.51 team ERA that ranks 24th in Major League Baseball, a 1.38 WHIP sitting 25th, and 16 saves distributed across seven different relievers.
Front Office Turmoil and Roster Turnover
The coaching firings follow a broader roster purge ahead of the trade deadline. The organization traded away established bullpen arms including Brent Suter, Ryan Zeferjahn, and Kirby Yates, alongside outfielder Jo Adell and starting pitcher José Soriano. Many of those players learned of their departures during a team outing to Mike Trout’s golf course.
With the American League West division race led by the Houston Astros at 61-59, the Angels languish at 45-74, standing 15.5 games back of first place. As the franchise stares down another autumn without playoff baseball, the pivot toward restocking the farm system and restructuring the pitching infrastructure signals an acknowledgment that the previous approach required a complete overhaul.
