The Texas Rangers have relieved Chris Woodward of his management responsibilities with the team. The news was announced on Monday afternoon, and was first reported by Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. This move by the Rangers was inevitable. It comes after three consecutive losing seasons with Woodward at the helm. Rangers fans had been clamoring for the front office to pull the trigger, and they finally got their wish. It will be very interesting to see which direction the organization goes when the time comes to fill the managerial spot on a permanent basis.
Chris Woodward’s Numbers
Chris Woodward certainly had his work cut out for him in 2019 when he took over for former Rangers skipper Jeff Banister. After previously serving on the coaching staffs of the Seattle Mariners and the Los Angeles Dodgers as their third base coach in 2014 and 2015, Woodward seemed like a reasonable choice for the Rangers to hire as their next manager. However, his numbers would eventually prove otherwise. Over the last three seasons, Chris Woodward compiled a cumulative record of 211–287. His winning percentage with the Rangers was .424.
This year, despite having names like Corey Seager, and Marcus Semien at his disposal, Woodward just couldn’t seem to be an effective leader from his seat in the dugout at Globe Life Field. The Rangers failed to make the playoffs under the 46-year old manager, and they have not reached the postseason since 2016. The Rangers exercised Chris Woodward’s option for the 2022 season on March 19, and on November 19, they signed him to contract extension that runs through next season with a club option for 2024.
Rangers Next Move
The Rangers currently have a stronghold of third place in the AL West. They are 51–63 on the season, and they sit 23 games back of the division-leading Houston Astros. Third-base coach Tony Beasley will serve as the interim manager of the Rangers for the remainder of the 2022 season.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
Players/Managers Mentioned:
Chris Woodward, Jeff Banister, Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, Tony Beasley
