LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Ron Washington, who guided the Texas Rangers to two World Series appearances, was hired as the manager of the Los Angeles Angels, the Major League Baseball club announced on Wednesday.

The 71-year-old American signed a two-year contract through 2025 to replace Phil Nevin, who the team dropped after the Angels went 73-89 this year, missing the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season.

Washington had managed the Rangers from 2007-2014, guiding them to the World Series in 2010 and 2011, where Texas lost first to San Francisco and then to St. Louis.

Washington went 664-611 over eight seasons with Texas before he resigned in 2014 for what he termed "an off-field personal matter."

The Rangers captured their first World Series crown last week, defeating Arizona in their first trip to the championship series since Washington was in charge.

Washington won a World Series title in 2021 while serving as the third-base coach for the Atlanta Braves, a post he held from 2017 until leaving to join the Angels.

Perry Minasian, the Angels general manager, will reunite with Washington after they worked together for the Braves, Minasian serving as Atlanta's assistant general manager from 2017-2020.

Washington spent 12 seasons from 1977-1989 as an MLB infielder with Minnesota, Baltimore, Cleveland, Houston and the Los Angeles Dodgers.