Angels GM search waits for MLB vote on Kroenke sale
Interim GM John Mozeliak says no candidates have been interviewed until owners approve the team's transfer, a vote that may not happen until after mid-November.
By Robert Marshall ·
The Los Angeles Angels have not interviewed a single candidate for their vacant general manager position. The hiring process is paused until Major League Baseball votes to approve the sale of the franchise. Interim GM John Mozeliak confirmed the hold on Wednesday.
Mozeliak initially believed the league would vote during the owners meetings scheduled for Nov. 17 through 19 in New York. A league source said the sale is not currently on the docket for that meeting. Angels front office members had also expected a vote this month before learning otherwise on Wednesday.
Stan Kroenke’s group announced on Sept. 1 that it had agreed to buy the team from Arte Moreno. The deal was expected to close in the first quarter of 2027. Mozeliak said MLB approval is the final hurdle before Kroenke Sports and Entertainment takes over decision-making.
“I think that’s when the majority of the decision-making will be theirs,” Mozeliak said. The Angels have not moved past an internal list of candidates. Mozeliak said the team will wait for the vote before launching an aggressive pursuit of new leadership.
Mozeliak was hired in June after GM Perry Minasian was fired. He is under contract through December. He said his specific role in the search has not been determined, but he will assist in any capacity. “But ultimately they (KSE) will be the lead on this,” he said.
An MLB spokesman noted there is no rule preventing the Angels from hiring a GM before the sale closes. The job is considered highly desirable because Kroenke offers financial resources and managerial autonomy. So far, the Angels have not asked permission to interview anyone currently leading another team’s baseball operations.
With less than a month before the expected lockout on Dec. 1, the roster is in flux. Mozeliak is attending the GM Meetings in Las Vegas next week to gather data on the free agent and trade markets. He said it is unlikely the team will make major moves until KSE takes control. “I doubt we’ll be pulling the trigger, but you never know,” he said.
