Skip Schumaker Strategically Keeps Mouth Shut as Rangers Spring Training Opens

The new Texas Rangers manager found himself doing a lot of listening on his first day in charge of the team.

Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

For new Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker, Tuesday’s opening day of spring training was all about keeping his mouth shut.

That was by design, he told reporters covering the first day of camp in Surprise, Ariz. With just pitchers and catchers expected in camp, he’s saving the “big speech” to the team when position players report on Sunday for the first full-squad workout. Plus, the Rangers have a new pitching coach, Jordan Tiegs, who isn’t new to the organization but is new to being in the spot Mike Maddux occupied for three seasons.

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From his experience in Miami leading the Marlins from 2023-24, he believes his job in the early days of spring training is to allow his coaches to begin building relationships with the players they’ll coach from day-to-day.

“I think it was really important, not only for the guys that have been here, but the new players as well to get to know Jordan and to figure out who he is and hear his voice,” Schumaker said.

Skip Schumaker’s First Day on the Job

Evo back in his element. #AllForTX pic.twitter.com/OW6522Fihk

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) February 10, 2026

Schumaker was a special advisor to president of baseball operations Chris Young last season after he and the Marlins parted ways at the end of the 2024 season. He was at spring training a year ago, so for those players that were with the team last year, he knows them. He is trying to avoid what happened last year with Jacob Latz.

“Last year I introduced myself twice to Latz because he was out of his uniform,” Schumaker said. “So, I’m trying not to do that again.”

From an injury standpoint, there wasn’t much to report. Texas is taking things a bit slow with reliever Josh Sborz, who is back on a minor league deal and missed last season with shoulder surgery. Another reliever, Marc Church, missed the first day due to an illness. Otherwise, the pitchers and catchers the Rangers expected to be there were there.

In some ways, Schumaker spoke like a CEO-type manager, one that is willing to delegate to his coaches. To him, spring training is not necessarily about delegation — it’s about empowering the coaches that will do the work with more than 60 players the next six weeks as Texas tries to winnow the roster down to 26 players by opening day against the Philadelphia Phillies.

“Everyone manages differently,” Schumaker said. “I just don't want to be a micromanager, so I just let them do their thing and empower them to be really, really, good at their job. That's a win for everyone,” he said.