For the Los Angeles Angels, a franchise that hasn’t made the postseason since 2014, the 2025 season was looking up. By the All-Star break last year, the Angels were already out of contention, but this time, they are sitting at an interesting 41-41 under manager Ron Washington’s influence. No wonder the Angels’ recent announcement knocked Anaheim fandom off-base. And there, former World Series champion Mark Gubicza has shared his thoughts, too.

At 73, this is Ron Washington’s second season as Angels skipper, and 10th overall. Washington is the league’s oldest active manager, building winners over five decades of his career in Oakland, Texas, and most recently in Atlanta. His input as an infield coach for the Braves was invaluable. Washington’s way of coaching itself – infield in particular – has always focused on discipline. His drills (Kneeling, the Fungo Bat, etc.) are all practices that emphasize footing, glove positioning, and swift reactions for maximum on-field ball grounding.

It’s this dedication that Mark Gubicza (1985 Champion) recalls fondly. “That’s the thing he instills in his players. He doesn’t allow young or veteran players to come and go. He’d go right down in their row saying: ‘We need you to be able to go out there and perform – every single day you put on that uniform.’”

Despite his zest for the game, Washington has officially been placed on medical leave this June 20 with an unknown diagnosis. On June 27, the Angels confirmed his absence for the rest of the 2025 season.

Despite not managing the team at the moment, Gubicza states that he’s “[…] been around, as much as possible. We saw him in New York… We were going home. He didn’t look real healthy, wasn’t feeling real good – but he was in the ballpark. We’re like, ‘Wash, you’re still here? He went, ‘I got a job to do.’” If that’s not testament to Washington’s willpower, what is?

And emotional Gubicza continued further… “We’re all praying for him and pulling for him during this fight he’s in right now. We know that he’s going to be able to get through this, and hopefully, something magical happens towards the end of the year. If they (Angels) can get through this month of July coming up, you know, then maybe this team has something special going on because of Wash.”

What’s next for the Angels without Ron Washington?

Gubicza’s concern for the Angels in July isn’t irrational. According to him, “[…] He (Washington) is a wealth of baseball information,” and the Angels could use it. The team is 3-4 since Washington left; their bullpen ERA has jumped to 4.85. They’ve also been making more errors. From 0.58 each game, they’re at 0.62. There’s Zach Neto’s 9th-inning misplay against the Red Sox on June 25th, for example.

Under Washington, the Angels ranked near the top in defensive efficiency (.713 on June 15th).

Now, their stolen base attempts have dropped too; and plate discipline has slipped from 3.4 walks to 2.3 in just 7 games since June 20th.

Meanwhile, Washington’s replacement, Ray Montgomery brings nearly three decades of baseball experience to his new interim role. After 12 minor leagues and brief MLB stints with the Astros (1996–98), he transitioned into scouting and front-office work before joining the Angels as director of player personnel in 2020. Montgomery has already guided the Angels to a 5–4 mark through June 27.

GM Perry Minasian has shown the utmost confidence in him while keeping his faith in Washington’s establishment. “…there’s been a foundation built here, a road map per se, that I don’t necessarily believe we will stray from. We believe in work and when it comes to addressing things, that won’t change. Ray is an outstanding individual. He’s done everything in this game.”

Now, the AL West remains tight, though, and if the Angels can stay close to .500 with stable pitching and a strong 15-10 July, it could keep them in the Wild Card mix. But a slump might force the front office to reconsider its trade deadline strategy completely.

Veterans like Carlos Estévez or even mid-rotation starters might become trade chips. Offensively, players like Taylor Ward and Logan O’Hoppe have kept the group afloat, and if Mike Trout returns to form, there’s potential. That, with improved defensive execution and fewer mental mistakes, could ensure the Angels quietly climb the board.

Either way, Ron Washington may be out of the dugout, but he’s still the man the Angels play hard for.