Los Angeles Angels Coach Fired After Being Suspended by MLB

Mickey Callaway, former Major League Baseball manager who was the pitching coach for the Los Angeles Angels, was fired by the team after being placed on the ineligible list by MLB. This comes after an MLB investigation into sexual harassment allegations against him. Callaway is banned from the league through the end of the 2022 season.

“Having reviewed all of the available evidence, I have concluded that Mr. Callaway violated MLB’s policies, and that placement on the ineligible list is warranted,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “We want to thank the many people who cooperated with our Department of Investigations [DOI] in their work, which spanned Mr. Callaway’s positions with three different clubs. The clubs that employed Mr. Callaway each fully cooperated with DOI, including providing emails and assisting with identifying key witnesses.”

In February, The Athletic reported that Callaway is accused of making unwanted sexual advances by multiple women who worked in sports media. At the time, Callaway told The Athletic he would not respond to “general allegations” but is looking forward to “an opportunity to provide more specific responses.” Five women who accused Callaway told The Athletic he would send unwanted emails and text messages. One woman revealed that Callaway would thrust his private area toward her face while interviewing him, and another woman said he asked her to send nude photos.

“My family and I fully support MLB’s strong stance against harassment and discrimination and are grateful to the Commissioner and his office for their thorough investigation,” Callaway said in a statement to ESPN. “I apologize to the women who shared with investigators any interaction that made them feel uncomfortable. To be clear, I never intended to make anyone feel this way and didn’t understand that these interactions might do that or violate MLB policies. However, those are my own blind spots, and I take responsibility for the consequences.”

Callaway, 46, was hired to be the Angels pitching coach before the start of the 2020 season. He spent the previous two seasons with the New York Mets as their manager and compiled a 163-161 record. He was fired from the Mets once the 2019 season ended, which was before the allegations came to light. Before joining the Mets, Callaway was the pitching coach for the Cleveland Indians from 2013-2017.