Angels Retain Two Pitching Coaches After Dramatic Late-Season Improvement

The Los Angeles Angels are keeping two coaches who helped engineer a significant turnaround in their pitching staff during the final weeks of the 2026 season.

Tim Leveque and Michael Wuertz have accepted new minor league positions with the organization, interim general manager John Mozeliak confirmed Tuesday at MLB's General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas.

Leveque, who served as the Angels' interim pitching coach, will become the minor league pitching coordinator. Wuertz, the interim bullpen coach, will take over as Triple-A pitching coach.

Both could eventually return to the major league staff under the team's incoming leadership.

The decisions follow a dramatic improvement after the Angels overhauled their pitching staff in August.

Los Angeles had a 4.51 team ERA when pitching coach Mike Maddux was fired on August 11, along with assistant pitching coach Darryl Scott and bullpen coach Dom Chiti.

Over the remainder of the season, the Angels posted a 3.69 ERA under Leveque, an improvement of 0.82 runs per nine innings.

Mozeliak told Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register that the organization wanted to retain both coaches while leaving the next leadership group flexibility to determine its major league staff.

"I'm actually shocked more people haven't come after them for a big league job," Mozeliak said.

"It was quite striking what they were able to accomplish in such a short time. So you have to admire that."

The improvement wasn't limited to the overall pitching numbers.

The Angels' starting rotation showed considerable progress after the coaching changes, with young pitchers Reid Detmers, Ryan Johnson and George Klassen contributing to the late-season turnaround.

Leveque had previously worked as the pitching coach at Double-A Rocket City before being promoted in August.

Wuertz, meanwhile, had spent more than a decade working in various roles within the organization.

The Angels' pitching outlook for 2027 includes several promising young starters, although the bullpen remains an area requiring attention.

Keeping Leveque and Wuertz gives the organization some continuity during an offseason marked by substantial changes.

The Angels are preparing for new ownership under Stan Kroenke, while Mozeliak is expected to depart when his contract expires in December.

The team has also begun preliminary meetings with general manager candidates, although a permanent hire is expected to wait until MLB approves the ownership transfer.

Whoever takes charge will inherit two pitching coaches whose recent results have already made a strong impression on the organization.