Bruce Bochy Reportedly 'Wants To Come Back' to Rangers

It sounds like the future Hall of Fame manager wants to return to the Texas Rangers after all.

Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

With the Texas Rangers officially eliminated from the playoffs, they have to figure out what's next.

When they won the World Series in 2023, nobody expected them to miss the postseason the following year, let alone twice in a row. 2024 was understandable based on all the injuries they suffered, and while they did limp to the finish line this season, their demise was more self-inflicted since the offense performed so poorly.

So as the Rangers head into the upcoming offseason and try to figure out how they can get back into contender status once again, the first thing everyone has to know is if Bruce Bochy is going to return as the manager or not.

Will Bruce Bochy Return To Texas Rangers?

Brad Mills-Imagn Images

What makes this entire situation so interesting is that retirement has been floated as a possibility for Bochy. Nothing was confirmed on that front, but because his contract is set to run out at the end of this season, some fuel was added to that fire.

While he's been mum on his future when it comes to continuing to manage, the fact another deal wasn't inked seemed to suggest that he might be looking to call it a career. However, according to Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required), the future Hall of Famer is still interested in being the manager for Texas.

"He wants to come back," Sherrington wrote. "His years in Texas, he said Thursday, have been 'as much fun as I've had in the game.'"

What Will Chris Young Decide To Do?

Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The decision is ultimately going to come down to what president of baseball operations Chris Young wants to do. He was the one who pried Bochy out of retirement in the first place back in October of 2022 because of their great relationship. But there's no doubt that things have not gone well the past two years, leaving everything on the table when it comes to getting things fixed.

"I love him," Young said about Bochy. "I love working with him. He's been wonderful. He came here to win a World Series, and he's helped us accomplish that. We'll figure out what the future holds."

That cagy answer makes it seem like there is a lot to figure out internally when the offseason arrives. While Sherrington says Bochy wants to return, the 70-year-old was also away from the game for four seasons after he left the San Francisco Giants following the 2019 campaign.

Maybe Bochy does decide he's ready to step away after this season. Or maybe he and the Rangers decide to enter a partnership once again for however long that might be for someone his age. Whatever does get decided, though, this is one of the most important decisions of the winter, and it's one that will need to be made quickly.