There was reason to believe Albert Pujols would become an MLB manager one day, but most who had that opinion believed he'd be Oli Marmol's successor with the St. Louis Cardinals. I don't know whether Marmol is the right long-term fit in St. Louis, but the job he did this past season proved he should stick around for a while longer.
If St. Louis wasn't going to be Pujols' managerial home, why not the other team he played for many years, the Los Angeles Angels? The Angels have a managerial vacancy, Pujols has been linked to them, and he happens to be employed by the franchise right now in an advisory role. Despite the rumored interest, no deal has been finalized.
The longer Pujols remains without a job offer, the more likely it is that he'll consider other options. One that nobody could've expected, the Baltimore Orioles, just emerged.
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Albert Pujols could land with unexpected managerial suitor
ESPN's Alden Gonzalez reported on Wednesday that the Orioles have expressed interest in Pujols for their managerial vacancy.
"The Orioles have yet to formally interview Pujols but are expected to as they seek a replacement for Brandon Hyde, who was fired in the early portion of what became a disappointing 87-loss season in 2025," Gonzalez wrote.
It's hard to envision Pujols, a future Hall of Famer, wearing a uniform that he never wore as a player, especially when one of the teams he played for, the Angels, has a managerial opening right now. To be fair, Gonzalez did note later on that the Angels should still be seen as the favorites for Pujols' services, but the Orioles being interested should change things.
The Orioles, despite Pujols' unfamiliarity with that franchise, should be seen as a far more attractive vacancy for Pujols and really any other manager.
Orioles are near perfect landing spot for Albert Pujols
It'd be cool to see Pujols manage the Cardinals or Angels, but the Cardinals are likely going to enter a rebuild (with a manager they've committed to), and the Angels are as dysfunctional as any organization in the sport. The Orioles are coming off a disastrous season, but there's still a lot to be excited about in the future.
From Gunnar Henderson to Jordan Westburg to Adley Rutschman to Jackson Holliday, the young position player talent on that team is very good. The Orioles should score a ton of runs for years to come. Pitching is an issue, but Kyle Bradish is now healthy, and Trevor Rogers sure looked like a potential frontline arm for Baltimore this past season. There's a good chance they'll be much better on that front, especially if they're willing to spend this offseason. It's undoubtedly one of the most attractive openings.
The Angels aren't built to win now or in the future, while the Orioles are built to win now and in the future. There's no way of knowing just how interested the Orioles are at this point, but if Pujols gets to decide between those two openings, he should shock the MLB world and go with Baltimore.