MLB

Angels need new manager

Sports at a glance

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Angels fired manager Kurt Suzuki after losing 100 games in his only season at the helm.

Baseball operations consultant John Mozeliak announced Wednesday that the Angels declined the option on Suzuki's contract and would open a search for a new manager in 2027.

Mozeliak said Suzuki had been offered the opportunity to stay with the organization as a special assistant. The Angels were 62-100 and finished last in the AL West in their only season under Suzuki, a first-time manager who played the final two of his 16 major league seasons as a catcher with the Angels in 2021-22.

Yanks' owner blames players

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner blamed New York's players for the team's failure to win the World Series and defended manager Aaron Boone and general manager Brian Cashman, who is getting a new contract as he enters his 30th season in charge of baseball operations.

"I thought Boone managed a good season, especially with the pitching staff," Steinbrenner said Wednesday. "The bottom line is the players didn't live up to their end of the bargain in the playoffs."

New York has gone 17 seasons without a World Series title. That matches the Yankees' longest drought since winning their first championship in 1923, a gap between titles in 1978 and '96.

New York went 93-68 and finished second in the AL East to Tampa Bay. After sweeping Boston 2-0 in an AL Wild Card Series, the Yankees were swept 3-0 by the Rays in a Division Series.