“(General manager) Chris Young and I had the very difficult task of informing Chris Woodward of our decision today,” president of baseball operations John Daniels said in the press release announcing the decision. “During his tenure as Rangers manager, Chris worked tirelessly under some difficult circumstances. He was dedicated and passionate in his efforts to improve the performance of the Texas Rangers on the field, and that is greatly appreciated. He has represented the organization with order and dignity. We’ve had extensive discussions over the past few weeks and while the team’s current performance is certainly a big part of this decision, we’re also looking to the future. As the Rangers continue to develop a winning culture and put the pieces together to compete for the postseason year after year, we felt a change in leadership was necessary at this time. On behalf of the entire Texas Rangers organization, we thank Chris and wish him and his family the best.” Woodward, 46, spent just under four seasons at the helm in Arlington. Texas hired him from the Dodgers’ coaching staff during the 2018-19 offseason, making him the permanent replacement after Jeff Bannister was fired in September (with some interim work from Don Wakamatsu). Woodward stepped into a difficult situation, taking over a last-place team that was shedding payroll as it began a rebuild. Texas bounced back a bit in Woodward’s first season, finishing third in the AL West at 78-84. However, the club was outscored by 68 runs that year, and the setback hit the following season. Texas went 22-38 during the shortened campaign, then stumbled to a 60-102 record in 2021. It marked the second-last finish, but Texas still signed Woodward last November to an extension that ended in 2023. At the time, Daniels praised the skipper for “(helping) lay the foundation of our culture” in his first three seasons. The Texas front office certainly couldn’t have expected great results with the rosters that were overmatched in 2019-21, and Woodward’s extension reflects the organization’s confidence in his ability to guide the club into a more competitive phase. Texas signaled a desire to shore up the payroll at the start of the offseason, and they followed through a much more aggressive winter than many expected. The Rangers signed four players to multi-year free agent contracts, including two of the three largest total guarantees of the offseason. Texas added Corey Seager for $325 million over a decade not long after signing Marcus Semien for seven years and $175 million. They stepped in as the Rangers’ starting midfielder while the club signed John Gray to a four-year, $56 million deal to solidify the starting rotation. Texas brass acknowledged that jumping from a 60-win team to immediate postseason contention seemed like a stretch, even with such an aggressive offseason overhaul. However, they no doubt expected a marked improvement that would serve as a stepping stone to a playoff run in 2023. Results on this front have been mixed. The Rangers are on pace for their best season in three years, with a 51-63 record that has them in third place in the AL West. A 44.7% winning percentage is much better than 2020-21’s sub-40% percentage, but that still translates to a roughly 90-loss pace over the course of a full schedule. They are 9 1/2 games out of the Wild Card and almost certain to miss the playoffs again, with little hope of playing meaningful games in the final two weeks of the season. At the same time, one could argue that the Rangers have been more competitive than their record would indicate. They have only gone two streaks into the season with more wins (games decided by five or more runs) than losses. If they played to a .500 draft record that aligned with their run differential, they would be in the Wild Card picture and the franchise’s overall picture would be much more optimistic. Instead, they went a horrendous 6-24 in single-series contests, losing so many tight games that they’re nowhere near contention. How much responsibility Woodward bears for this record is open to debate. There’s no doubt some bad luck with such a poor record, but one could also note that Woodward is ultimately responsible for managing a bullpen that has given up 18 leads (eighth in the majors). Texas has had productive seasons from some of its young position players (eg Jonah Heim and Nathaniel Lowe), but the club hasn’t gotten much out of its younger starters other than Dane Dunning. Meanwhile, Texas has gotten solid seasons from Seager and Gray, but Semien has underperformed in the inaugural season of his free agent deal. Of course, managerial decisions are made based on much more than the club’s results on the pitch. Teams assess the captain’s handling of the club and the behind-the-scenes work that goes on out of sight. Daniels and Young apparently decided it was time for a change in voice at the top of the club. In the next couple of months, that will come with Beasley’s elevation to the manager’s chair. A former minor league skipper in the Pirates and Nationals farm systems, Beasley first joined the Texas coaching staff before the 2015 season. The 55-year-old is now in his eighth year with the Rangers, a tenure that overlaps his Bannister and Woodward as governor. This will be his first major league coaching opportunity. Texas will conduct a search for a full-time recruit next offseason. They are the fourth team to do so, as the Phillies (Joe Girardi), Angels (Joe Maddon) and Blue Jays (Charlie Montoyo) have each shed their skipper this season. Philadelphia has exploded under interim manager Rob Thompson, while the Angels have continued to falter under interim skipper Phil Nevin. The Blue Jays improved an already productive club in their first month under interim manager John Schneider. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News first reported Woodward’s firing. Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
