Managerial Candidates for the Texas Rangers
Less than a day after the Texas Rangers and Bruce Bochy parted ways, the club had a short list for managerial candidates.
Really short.
For all intents and purposes, the list starts and ends with senior advisor Skip Schumaker. As it should. The Rangers brought Schumaker in last fall specifically as a potential successor. He’d won NL Manager of the Year in 2023, his first year on the job, and took the Miami Marlins to the playoffs. Then, as the Marlins are all too prone to do, they changed personnel at the top, charted a new direction that led to another rebuild and by the middle of 2024, it was clear to Schumaker that he wasn’t part of that future.
The potential problem is this: Schumaker, 45, is likely to be on a lot of lists. San Francisco, Minnesota and reportedly the Los Angeles Angels already have managerial openings. The Angels, just down the road from Schumaker’s home, would certainly be a nice geographic fit. Schumaker has leverage. Lots of it.
It potentially stands to either make him one of the most powerful managers the Rangers have ever had or a lot of money somewhere else.
Schumaker’s Advantage
On the side of the Rangers, there is this: Schumaker has had a year observing this team up close. He’s already very aware of the issues, from a bland clubhouse to offensive regression against fastballs to the lack of situational hitting. He knows what he’d be getting in Chris Young, an intense and hands-on head of baseball operations. He knows this club and this organization and it gives him the ability to walk into any negotiation with a clear vision for how he’d want to run the team. It gives him the most ability to tailor the job and the relationship with Young to more of a partnership than one of a subordinate.
For somebody who seems as direct, meticulous and studious as Schumaker, the position with the Rangers might offer the least amount of unpredictability. And if there is one thing managers want, it’s predictability. But he and Young have to sit down and have a frank conversation about the job, the relationship and the uncertainties around payroll.
Other Potential Candidates
The only way the Rangers potentially lose here is if a four-time World Series-winning manager and his designated successor both end up somewhere else. That’s a gamble.
That’s not to say there aren’t good candidates out there. There are. But if the Rangers end up with anybody from the list below, it’s going to mean something didn’t work out as intended:
Friends and Family
Friends and family: Trust and open conversation are critical to the manager-GM relationship. It’s why so many GMs (in this case the President of Baseball Operations) and their eventual managers have some previous link. The first “successor-in-waiting,” Will Venable, had a long-term close friendship with Young dating back to college and then as an MLB teammate. Along those lines, Nick Hundley, currently a senior advisor in Young’s inner circle, was his teammate for four seasons with the Padres and later joined him in his role with MLB before coming to the Rangers. Hundley, 42, has no coaching or managerial experience, though that has become less of a priority for the job than in the past.
From the Staff
From the staff: Bench coach Luis Ureta, who was part of Schumaker’s staff in Miami, made a strong impression on the Rangers’ front office in his first season on the job. Ureta, 44, also coached in Arizona before joining the Marlins. He is bilingual, which is always an asset when it comes to communication. His only managerial experience, however, is in the rookie-level Dominican Summer League more than a decade ago. Likewise, catching instructor Bobby Wilson has managerial aspirations, has spent the last three years learning under Bochy and has the even-keeled personality needed by a manager. Wilson, like Hundley, is 42 and has never managed.
Former Rangers
Former Rangers: Every time a position of note with the Rangers comes open, Michael Young’s name pops up. So, too, does Ian Kinsler’s. Both are trusted advisers now in Chris Young’s inner circle. But both have school-aged children and have been pretty committed to their families after long playing careers. It’s hard to see that changing now. On the former Ranger front, it’s worth including the name of former catcher Robinson Chirinos, who last played in the majors as recently as 2022 and was the Orioles bench coach this season. Chirinos, 41, would be the youngest candidate and, like Ureta, is bilingual. He makes his offseason home in Texas.
Experienced Managers
Experienced managers: The Rangers tried to hire Rocco Baldelli when he ultimately went to Minnesota. He became available on Monday. But much of the front office that tried to hire him in Texas has since departed. Bob Melvin, who was dismissed by the Giants, also became available Monday. Of the candidates, Melvin, who turns 64 in October, would be the closest in profile to Bruce Bochy, an experienced manager with more than 20 years in the seat and eight trips to the postseason. He has never been to the World Series, though. He’s a three-time Manager of the Year and he also managed Marcus Semien longer than anybody else, while the two were in Oakland. Might as well mention Bud Black, too. Young played for him in San Diego after Bochy left. But Black is 68, the same age as Bochy when he took the Rangers job. If the Rangers were to look at Black, it would only raise questions about why they didn’t keep the guy with the longer, more successful track record.
Job security has been hard to come by for the head coaches of the Dallas area’s professional sports teams recently.
If you’re a Rangers fan figuring out who to pull for in the playoffs, here are all the former Texas players in the postseason.
Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Texas Rangers have a short list of managerial candidates, with Skip Schumaker being the top choice. Schumaker has a strong track record, having won NL Manager of the Year in 2023 and taken the Miami Marlins to the playoffs. However, he is likely to be on other teams’
