Former Rangers manager gearing up for triumphant 2026 return

Former Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington has missed the bulk of the season and will sit out the remainder of the 2025 campaign. While the now-Los Angeles Angels manager initially took a leave of absence due to undisclosed health issues, on Monday, he shed light on what's been going on and what his plans are for the rest of this year and into next.

Washington appeared at a joint press conference with Rangers manager Bruce Bochy as the two teams will kick off a three-game series on Monday night. After being embraced by Bochy, who wished him well, Washington explained he'd undergone a quadruple bypass on his heart.  

Former Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington had heart surgery

Washington, in his second year managing the Angels and the oldest manager in baseball at 73, experienced shortness of breath and appeared fatigued near the end of the team's four-game series at Yankee Stadium, which ended June 19. The former Texas Rangers skipper underwent a series of tests upon returning to Southern California the following day and was placed on leave for the weekend series against the Houston Astros.

He was later placed on leave and took the next eight weeks off. At the press conference on Monday, Washington said that he would absolutely love to come back to manage the Angels in 2026. He also made it clear that's not a conversation that's been completed with Los Angeles' front office.

As of now, there's no official word on whether the former Texas Rangers manager will be back on the bench next season. That's likely something that won't be decided until after this campaign is over.