The Texas Rangers announced that they’ve hired former MLB player and manager as their new skipper.
He becomes the 21st full-time manager in franchise history and has agreed to a four-year deal that runs through the 2029 season. He spent the past year as the Rangers’ senior advisor of baseball operations, working closely with president of baseball operations Chris Young.
Before joining Texas, Schumaker managed the Miami Marlins for two seasons, leading them to a Wild Card berth in 2023 and earning National League Manager of the Year honors that same season. However, after a disappointing 62-100 campaign in 2024, Miami decided to move on.
Schumaker now succeeds Bruce Bochy, who led the Rangers to their first-ever World Series title in 2023. Bochy and the team mutually agreed to part ways earlier this week.
Texas wrapped up the season with an 81-81 record, remaining in contention for the No. 3 American League Wild Card spot until things unraveled late. The Rangers stumbled to a 2-11 finish over their final 13 games, ultimately ending six games behind the third AL Wild Card team, the Detroit Tigers, and nine back of the AL West–champion Seattle Mariners.
It marked the second consecutive season that Texas finished at or below .500 following their five-game World Series triumph over the Arizona Diamondbacks — a downturn that ultimately prompted the managerial change.
Although Bruce Bochy, 70, still appears to have the competitive fire that defined his Hall of Fame–caliber career — which includes four World Series titles — the Rangers opted to turn the page to 45-year-old Skip Schumaker. One of the game’s rising managerial minds, Schumaker guided a low-budget Miami Marlins team to 84 wins and a playoff berth in 2023, their best finish in 14 years.
Schumaker brings championship experience of his own, having won two World Series rings as a player with the St. Louis Cardinals, including the 2011 title. Before taking the Miami job, he gained coaching experience with the Padres (2020) and Cardinals (2019, 2022).
Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young, who worked closely with Schumaker during his advisory role this past year, spoke highly of him.
“Over the past year, Skip has proven to be driven, passionate, and meticulous in everything he does,” Young said. “He has a winning spirit and great energy, and we’re fortunate to have someone so respected in the baseball community leading our team.
“His insight and perspective were invaluable — we spoke with him almost daily throughout the year, constantly bouncing ideas off him and learning from his approach.”
The Rangers plan to formally introduce Skip Schumaker as their new manager in the coming days, where he’s expected to reflect on how his year away from the dugout helped reignite his passion for managing. In the meantime, Schumaker expressed his enthusiasm about returning to one of baseball’s 30 managerial posts.
“I’m truly honored and excited for the opportunity to manage the Texas Rangers,” Schumaker said in a team statement. “My time in the front office this past season gave me a great understanding of the organization, but the recent conversations with Chris Young, [assistant GM] Ross Fenstermaker, and others have only deepened my excitement about this role.”