Texas Rangers Manager Bruce Bochy Discusses His Focus on This Season and His Future

Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy is entering the final year of his three-year contract and his focus is on winning another World Series.

Aug 21, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy (15) walks back to the dugout during the seventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Globe Life Field. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

ARLINGTON, Texas — There are common themes every season in baseball. For the Texas Rangers, there is likely to be one constant theme in 2025 — is this Bruce Bochy’s final season as manager?

Bochy is entering the final year of his three-year contract. He will turn 70 in April. When he decides to finally hang it up, the four-time World Series-winning manager will be a lock for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young said Bochy’s future is something he thinks about constantly. When asked about Bochy, he gave an answer that is likely to be his answer for some time.

“That’s his decision,” Young said at Rangers Fanfest. “If Boch wants to be back, he will be back. If he’s had enough, then we’re going to get him an office upstairs and let him come sit by me and hang out and still have those laughs that we share.”

After Bochy stepped away from the San Francisco Giants following the 2019 season, he stepped into a special assistant role in the front office but spent a good portion of his time in Nashville to be closer to his grandchildren.

Then, Young — who played for Bochy when the pair were in San Diego — lured him out of semi-retirement to manage the Rangers.

Bochy said from the day he was hired he intended to honor the deal.

Right now, he said his focus is on this season.

“I’m focused on getting us back to the postseason,” Bochy said. “Those conversations, I’ve had them with CY. I feel good where I’m at right now.”

At times, Bochy has spoken about how his time away rekindled his love for the game, even as he acknowledged that he stepped away from San Francisco “at the right time.”

Young caught him at the right time back in 2022, as Bochy seemed eager to return to the game. He said he feels as good as he’s felt in years, and he wouldn’t be back if he didn’t.

“I did the retirement thing and, you know, I enjoyed that for the first year, whatever,” Bochy said. “But I missed the game. So, for me to be back in it, I’m lucky. It’s a great blessing that I got back into what I love to do, and I really can’t wait for spring training.”

Young is certainly in no hurry to usher Bochy into retirement. Bochy repeatedly said he’s happy where he is. For now, their focus is on this season. If there are discussions about his future, they’ll likely happen after the season.

Bochy has won 2,171 games in his managerial career and now stands at No. 8 all-time.

He will likely move up to No. 6 this season, as Dusty Baker (2,183) and Sparky Anderson (2,194) are ahead of him. He would need to manage at least one more season to catch Joe Torre (2,326).