The Los Angeles Angels aren’t waiting for the offseason to make major changes to their coaching staff.
With seven weeks remaining in the season, the Angels fired pitching coach Mike Maddux, assistant pitching coach Darryl Scott, and bullpen coach Dom Chiti, clearing out the top of their pitching operation after a season marked by a few notable successes but poor overall results.
The club announced that Double-A pitching coach Tim Leveque will take over as interim pitching coach, while assistant pitching coordinator Michael Wuertz will serve as interim bullpen coach.
Interim general manager John Mozeliak said the decision followed discussions with manager Kurt Suzuki about both the current staff and the organization’s plans.
“After spending time discussing with Kurt Suzuki where we are as a coaching staff and where we want to go in the future, we felt it was best to make a change,” Mozeliak said. “With seven weeks remaining, we plan to use this time to evaluate what additional steps are needed to elevate our entire pitching program and best position us for success moving forward.”
Angels’ Pitching Numbers Tell a Difficult Story
There were individual bright spots during Maddux’s brief tenure. Reid Detmers and José Soriano have put together strong seasons, while relievers Chase Silseth and Ryan Zeferjahn delivered breakout performances before being traded.
Those successes, however, couldn’t overcome the larger problems.
The Angels have posted a 4.53 ERA, seventh-worst in Major League Baseball, while their 11.1% walk rate ranks last in the majors. The pitching staff, particularly the bullpen, has also been operating with significant personnel limitations. Anaheim has relied heavily on a thin farm system and veteran journeymen, leaving the coaching staff with few dependable options in several spots.
That makes assigning responsibility more complicated. Coaching changes are an obvious response when a pitching staff struggles, but Maddux, Scott and Chiti were also working with a roster that lacked established depth.
Mike Maddux’s Long Coaching Run Ends in Anaheim
Maddux’s departure is particularly notable because of his lengthy track record.
The 64-year-old joined the Angels on a one-year contract after the 2025 season following his latest stint with the Texas Rangers. Texas had permitted the Angels to interview Maddux while also trying to keep him in the organization, either as pitching coach or in another capacity. Maddux ultimately left Texas for Anaheim.
The Angels became the fifth stop of his extensive coaching career. Maddux previously worked as pitching coach for the Milwaukee Brewers, Rangers, Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals, including two separate runs with Texas. The 2026 campaign was his 24th consecutive season working as a major league pitching coach.
Before moving into coaching, Maddux spent 15 seasons pitching in the majors. He appeared for nine clubs and finished with a 4.05 ERA over 861 2/3 innings as both a starter and reliever.
Scott also arrived in Anaheim with substantial experience. The 58-year-old spent six seasons on Colorado’s major league staff from 2020 through 2025, including two years as bullpen coach and four as pitching coach under manager Bud Black. Before that, he served as the Rockies’ minor league pitching coordinator.
His move to the Angels also brought him back to the organization where his brief major league pitching career took place. Scott made 16 relief appearances for the 1993 Angels, throwing 20 innings.
Chiti, 67, has spent two decades coaching in the majors following earlier work as a scout and minor league coach. His résumé includes bullpen coaching jobs with the Rangers, Orioles and Mets, along with a previous stint as the Angels’ bullpen coach from 2021 through 2022.
Angels Begin Their Pitching Evaluation Early
The combined experience of the three coaches makes the Angels’ decision striking. Maddux has worked with managers including Bruce Bochy, Dusty Baker and Ron Washington. Scott spent years working under Bud Black, while Chiti has served on multiple Buck Showalter staffs.
That experience could make all three candidates for other positions if they want to continue coaching.
For the Angels, though, the timing makes the organization’s intentions clear. Rather than wait until the season ends, Mozeliak and Suzuki will spend the final seven weeks evaluating the pitching program with Leveque and Wuertz in interim roles.
Whether the coaching changes can produce an immediate difference is another question. The Angels’ pitching problems haven’t been limited to instruction, and a staff with an MLB-worst walk rate and limited depth won’t be rebuilt simply by changing the names in the dugout.
But with the season still underway, the Angels have already decided that their next pitching overhaul begins now.
