Less than two weeks into their offseason, the Angels remain busy searching for the right candidate to replace Mike Scioscia, whose 19-year tenure as manager of the club officially came to an end last month.
They are not alone, as the Rangers, Orioles, Blue Jays, Twins and Reds are also among the clubs hunting for new managers. While Scioscia's departure had been rumored for months, the Angels plan to take their time in finding his successor and have put no timeframe on making a hire.
"You don't want to put limitations on yourself," general manager Billy Eppler said during the club's end-of-season recap at Angel Stadium last week. "We're going to be thorough."
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Here are seven names to watch as the Angels' managerial search unfolds:
Brad Ausmus
The Angels hired Ausmus as a special assistant to Eppler following his departure from the Tigers, who opted not to renew his managerial contract last September. Ausmus, 49, posted a .486 winning percentage in his four seasons with Detroit and led the club to the American League Central title in 2014. A Dartmouth graduate, Ausmus spent 18 seasons in the Majors as a catcher for the Padres, Astros, Tigers and Dodgers.
Eric Chavez
Chavez, a six-time Gold Glove-winning third baseman who retired in 2014 following a 17-year career with the A's, Yankees and D-backs, joined the Angels' front office in the fall of 2015 as a special assistant to the GM. His duties have included professional scouting and on-field instruction with the club's Minor League affiliates.

Chavez, 40, developed a relationship with Eppler during his two-year stint with the Yankees in 2011-12. He returned to New York in 2015 and spent the season as a special assignment scout for Yankees GM Brian Cashman, who had Eppler as an assistant GM at the time. In August -- one day after reports surfaced that Scioscia planned to step down at the end of the season -- Chavez was named interim manager of Triple-A Salt Lake. The Bees went 10-16 over 26 games with Chavez at the helm.
Dino Ebel
Ebel joined the Angels organization in 2005 after spending the previous 17 seasons with the Dodgers as a Minor League player, coach and manager. He skippered Triple-A Salt Lake for one season before being elevated to Scioscia's coaching staff, where he spent his first eight seasons as the third-base coach. Ebel, 52, then served as the bench coach for four seasons before returning to coach third base in 2018. His managerial record includes a .517 winning percentage over nine seasons in the Minors.
Joe Espada
The Astros hired Espada as A.J. Hinch's bench coach last fall after Alex Cora departed to manage the Red Sox. Espada, 43, previously served as the Yankees' third-base coach for three seasons, a tenure that overlapped with Eppler from 2014-15. He held the same position with the Marlins from 2010-13 and has experience managing in the Puerto Rican Winter League. Espada, a native of Santurce, P.R., has also reportedly drawn interest from the Rangers, who are looking to replace Jeff Banister.
Joe McEwing
McEwing has served as the bench coach to White Sox manager Rick Renteria for the last two seasons. Prior to that, he spent five seasons (2012-16) as the club's third-base coach. McEwing, 45, posted a .531 winning percentage over a three-year managerial stint in the White Sox's Minor League system. He managed Class A Advanced Winston-Salem from 2009-10, capturing Carolina League Manager of the Year honors in both seasons, before being promoted to Triple-A Charlotte in 2011. McEwing also managed the Mesa Solar Sox in the 2011 Arizona Fall League. A former utility player, McEwing played for the Cardinals, Mets, Royals and Astros over his nine-year career in the Majors.

Josh Paul
Paul was appointed Scioscia's bench coach last fall after Ebel shifted to third-base coach to replace Ron Roenicke, who left to join Cora's coaching staff in Boston. Paul and Eppler both worked for the Yankees from 2009-15. Paul, 43, served as a Minor League catching coordinator, a professional scout and a manager for Class A Short Season Staten Island during his time with New York. He recorded a .540 winning percentage over his two seasons as Staten Island's manager. Paul played parts of nine seasons in the Majors as a catcher for the White Sox, Cubs, Angels and Rays.
Omar Vizquel
A three-time All-Star and 11-time Gold Glove-winning shortstop, Vizquel spent this season as manager of the White Sox's Class A Advanced affiliate in Winston-Salem. He was voted the Carolina League Manager of the Year after guiding the Dash to an 84-54 regular-season record. A native of Caracas, Venezuela, Vizquel spent the previous four seasons working with the Tigers as first-base, infield and baserunning coach. The 51-year-old also managed Venezuela during the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Regarded as one of the best defensive shortstops of all time, Vizquel spent the bulk of his 24-year career in the Majors with the Indians.