After leading the Texas Rangers to their first World Series title in 2023 and missing the playoffs in both of the following seasons, Bruce Bochy will not be returning as manager.
Bochy and the Rangers mutually decided to terminate his managerial contract, the team said Monday night. Bochy has received an offer to stay with Texas in an advising role in the front office.
The Ranger finished 81-81 the day before the relocation. In addition to being the first.500 finish for Bochy in his 28 seasons as manager of San Diego, San Francisco, and Texas, it was the first for the team that started as the Washington Senators in 1961 before relocating to Texas in 1972.
Bruce Bochy’s tenure with the Rangers came to a close as his three-year contract expired, a deal he signed when general manager Chris Young his former pitcher brought him aboard following six straight losing seasons. During his time in Texas, Bochy guided the team to a 249-237 record.
“Bruce Bochy is one of the greatest managers the game has ever seen, and he will always hold a special place in the hearts of Rangers fans for delivering the franchise’s first World Series championship in 2023,” Young said. “Boch carried himself with class and brought tremendous respect back to our club when he returned to the dugout. Being part of his Hall of Fame journey is something we’ll always take pride in. We’re deeply thankful for all he’s done over these past few years and hopeful he’ll continue to leave his mark on the Rangers in the future.”
This season marked a milestone for Bruce Bochy in more ways than one. At 70 years old, he stood as baseball’s oldest active skipper, carrying with him not just decades of wisdom but also the distinction of being the game’s winningest active manager. His 2,252 career victories place him sixth all-time, and every manager above him is enshrined in Cooperstown. Add in his four World Series championships three with the San Francisco Giants and one with the Texas Rangers and Bochy’s legacy is firmly etched among the greats. In fact, no manager since Casey Stengel’s seventh title with the Yankees in 1958 has surpassed Bochy’s total.
His path back to the dugout in Texas was never guaranteed. After parting ways with the Giants in 2019, Bochy had stepped away, content with a Hall of Fame résumé that already included 13 seasons in San Francisco and three championships from 2010 to 2014, plus 12 years in San Diego where he led the Padres to a National League pennant. When the Rangers came calling after years of frustration, Bochy saw an opportunity not only to return to managing but to take on a new challenge. The decision rejuvenated his career and gave the Rangers their first championship in franchise history.
Meanwhile, the Giants the team with whom Bochy built so much of his reputation find themselves searching for direction. After an 81-81 finish and yet another October on the sidelines, San Francisco dismissed Bob Melvin, ending his tenure after just two seasons. At the helm of the Giants’ front office now is Buster Posey, the 2012 MVP and seven-time All-Star catcher who spent nearly his entire playing career under Bochy’s leadership. His presence adds a personal layer to San Francisco’s next managerial hire, as he looks to find someone capable of sparking the kind of success he once experienced firsthand under Bochy.
Back in Texas, the Rangers are already considering potential successors if Bochy decides to walk away for good. Among the names surfacing is Skip Schumaker, who managed the Miami Marlins before joining Texas last November as a senior adviser in baseball operations. His connection to the organization and managerial experience make him a natural candidate.
Bochy’s age is also a reminder of the rarity of his presence in today’s game. The only manager older than him this season was Ron Washington at 73. But Washington’s season was cut short in June when he underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery while managing the Los Angeles Angels. Bochy, for his part, continues to defy time, bringing his steady hand and trademark calm to every dugout he’s led. Whether he chooses to remain in uniform or finally steps away, his career already stands as one of baseball’s great managerial stories.