Texas Rangers First-Year Manager Combats 'Culture Problem'

When the Texas Rangers decided to fire Chris Woodward prior to the end of the 2022 season, a sense of urgency surrounded the ballclub to find a manager that could elevate the team's status.

Enter Bruce Bochy to fix the "culture problem" in Arlington, as ESPN's Jeff Passan alluded to this week.

As his first season winds down, Bochy has done more than fix the Rangers' clubhouse issues. He's led the AL West franchise to a 72-49 record and has it dreaming of a shot at the World Series. His lineup construction has led to breakout years from those expected to be role players instead of cornerstones.

Talent has resided in Texas for years. Finding the man to enhance it was the missing link. That so happened to be Bochy, who turned the San Francisco Giants from a run-of-the-mill roster into a consistent champion.

But how much credit does the 68-year-old skipper deserve for the Rangers' turnaround in 2023? One could argue most of — if not all — the success.

"With Bruce Bochy, there's a word, and it's professionalism," Passan said. "It's not just the fact that he's won three World Series as a manager of the San Francisco Giants.

"The Rangers thought that they had a bit of a culture problem in the way that they prepared. That they weren't getting ready for the game the right way."

Rangers general manager Chris Young knew settling for lackluster managerial rapport was off the table after six losing seasons. Woodward's best season came during the shortened COVID season, when Texas finished 14 games out of the division lead.

Jeff Bannister, who led the Rangers to a pair of division titles, couldn't recapture the magic during his final two years, leading to a combined 145-179 record.

When searching for Woodward's replacement, Young remembered his time playing under Bochy as a member of the San Diego Padres from 2006-10. With rumors of a "cultural problem" surrounding the clubhouse, Young needed someone to teeter the line between tough love and compassion for the game.

That ultimately led to a call to see if the now-retired Bochy would be interested in returning to the game.

"When he committed to coming back out of retirement to go and manage again, Texas came in and immediately said, 'We have to go and hire this guy,'" said Passan.

Bochy can only make so many decisions throughout nine innings that factor into the game's outcome, but it's his relationship and trust with players that's helped Texas capitalize on its continued success.

All-Star shortstop Corey Seager remains one of baseball's top hitters, slashing .350/.410/.666 with 22 home runs and 73 RBI through his first 77 games. Second baseman Marcus Semien has returned to MVP form with his team-leading 140 hits to match his .826 OPS going into Wednesday.

Adolis Garcia and Jonah Heim have had exceptional campaigns, representing the club for the American League in July's All-Star Game. Garcia has blossomed into one of the game's more dangerous hitters, leading the AL in RBI (91) while ranking top 15 in home runs (30) and slugging percentage (.516).

Heim, a four-year veteran, has posted career-highs in batting average (.278), on-base percentage (.335), OPS (.807), and RBI (70), among other categories prior to being placed on the IL. Meanwhile, third baseman Josh Jung was the runaway favorite to win AL Rookie of the Year before suffering a broken thumb.

As a unit, the Rangers rank top-three in every offensive metric minus triples and home runs. From a pitching standpoint, Texas has seen an uptick in production since the acquisitions of three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer and left-hander Jordan Montgomery, who boasts a 2.50 ERA since joining the roster at the trade deadline.

"He has the ability to walk into a room and immediately own it," Passan said of Bochy. "People listen to him. It's a big part of why the Rangers are where they are now."

For the Rangers, it often hasn't been a question of talent, but rather leadership. Bochy, the man behind the lineup card, has steered the ship back on course for the first time in six years.

The sights? A third trip to the Fall Classic in franchise history, and a fourth ring for the club's captain.

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