Woodward hired as Rangers manager
Los Angeles Dodgers third base coach Chris Woodward was hired as manager of the Texas Rangers on Saturday, six weeks after Jeff Banister was fired.
He received a three-year contract with a club option for 2022. He will be introduced at a news conference Monday.
Woodward inherits a team that went 67-95 and finished last in the AL West, with the focus turning to the development of younger players. Texas had its first consecutive losing seasons since 2005-08.
The hiring ended a process during which general manager Jon Daniels and the Rangers interviewed more than 10 candidates, including bench coach Don Wakamatsu after he served as interim coach the final 10 games of the season.
Woodward was interviewed this week after the Dodgers finished their second straight season in which they advanced to the World Series, losing both times. The last team before Los Angeles that appeared in consecutive World Series without winning the title was Texas in 2010 and 2011.
“We interviewed a number of strong candidates during an extensive interview process for our managerial role and believe we have found the right fit in Chris Woodward,” Daniels said in a statement released by the team. “We look forward to working with him and everyone on the baseball staff to develop and grow a culture that will lead to success for many years to come.”
Daniels has hired three managers in his 13 seasons as the Rangers GM, and all were first-time MLB managers. Texas won its only American League pennants during Ron Washington’s eight seasons before Banister won two AL West titles in his four seasons. Two candidates Texas interviewed were hired last month as managers by other teams, David Bell in Cincinnati and Rocco Baldelli in Minnesota. The hiring of Woodward left the Baltimore Orioles, who fired Buck Showalter after the season, as the only MLB team with a managerial vacancy.
The 42-year-old Woodward spent the past three years on the staff of manager Dave Roberts, after working for Seattle the previous three years. He started his coaching career as minor league infield coordinator for the Mariners in 2013, then joined their big league staff later that year. He was Seattle’s infield coach in 2014 and the first base coach in 2015.