Angels Ban Cellphones in Clubhouse for 2025 MLB Season, Ron Washington Wants 'Focus'

There will be no cellphones allowed in the Los Angeles Angels clubhouse this season.

Manager Ron Washington has extended the rule from spring training into the 2025 season in an effort to improve players' focus, according to MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger and The Athletic's Brittany Ghiroli.

"It’s not punishment. It’s just trying to keep them focused,” Washington said, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register.

Mike Trout and Zach Neto said the rule has "worked out great so far," according to Bollinger.

“Honestly, looking at it after about a month, I think for me personally and I know other guys have said it, it’s actually brought the team way closer," Neto said, per Fletcher. "Everybody is talking to each other and having conversation. I think it’s pretty special.”

According to Ghiroli, Washington instituted a similar restriction while serving as manager of the Texas Rangers from 2007 to 2014.

Michael Young, Adrian Beltre and Ian Kinsler were in charge of enforcing the rule and the $500 fine associated with breaking it, according to Ghiroli.

Trout and Kyle Hendricks will now take on the same enforcer role in the Angels clubhouse, Ghiroli reported.

The Angels have not yet set the fine, but Ghiroli wrote there might be "some inflation" from the Rangers' penalty.

Washington said he will also be following the new rule in the clubhouse, per Ghiroli.

Washington, 72, is heading into his second season with the Angels. He is looking to spark the club's recovery from a franchise-worst 63-99 record in 2024.

Angels owner Art Moreno said after the end of the campaign he expected his club to end a decade-long drought and become a postseason team in 2025, per Fletcher.

In addition to offseason acquisitions like Jorge Soler, Yusei Kikuchi, Travis d'Arnaud and Kyle Hendricks, it looks like Washington is hoping some culture changes within the clubhouse can help the Angels take a step toward contention this fall.