This story written by Sarah Wexler was excerpted from Rhett Bollinger's Angels Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

A major shakeup hit the Angels on Tuesday as Joe Maddon was relieved of his duties as manager. Third-base coach Phil Nevin took over as interim manager, a position he’ll hold for the rest of the season.

Despite the fact that it came on the heels of a 12-game losing streak that saw the club fall below .500, the news came as a surprise to just about everyone, including Angels players. Here’s what a handful of them had to say about the news:

On Maddon being let go

Mike Trout: “[Maddon] shot me a text once he got the news, and I had a conversation with him. I loved playing for Joe, we’ve had a great relationship over the years, and I wish him the best.”

Shohei Ohtani (through interpreter Ippei Mizuhara): “I just want to say, 'Thank you,' to Joe. I appreciate everything he’s done for me.”

Jared Walsh: “Nothing but great things to say about Joe. I don’t think I could have asked for a better relationship with a manager my first couple of years [in the Majors]. But the front office thought that was the direction to go, so we respect the decision.”

Archie Bradley: “I think Joe is, from a respect level, as good as it gets. Salt of the earth. … Treated everyone greatly, at least in my opinion, and we learned a lot from him.”

On expectations for Nevin

Walsh: “Nev’s been great since we first met him in Spring Training. He played in the big leagues for a long time. You know, he was third-base coach for the Yankees, so he's been in a big market. I know he coached in the Minor Leagues a lot, too. So, I'm looking forward to playing for him and hopefully make a little run.”

Kurt Suzuki: “He understands the players, he understands us. … He knows how to get players riled up, how to get players going.”

Bradley (who played for Nevin with Triple-A Reno from 2015-16): “Nev communicates very well. Whether you like it or you don’t, whether you’re playing or you’re not, you always know where you stand, you always know when you’re available, and you always know what your role is. And Nev allows you to change that role. If you play well, he’s gonna put you in there. If you do things well, he’s gonna change it around. … Nev gets it. He played for a long time, he’s managed for a long time, and there’s just something about his demeanor that makes guys really want to play hard and play for him.”