Rangers searching for new pitching coach after telling Brocail he won’t return

The Texas Rangers made a move Monday that many expected was coming, dismissing pitching coach Doug Brocail after three seasons.

Sources said that Brocail was told that the Rangers are heading in a different direction under new manager Chris Woodward. After winning the American League West in 2016 with a 4.37 ERA, the Rangers faded to 4.66 in a 2017 season beset by bullpen issues and a 4.92 ERA in 2018 in a rebuilding season.

The Rangers will keep Don Wakamatsu as bench coach and Tony Beasley in some capacity, but the could be the only holdovers from ex-manager Jeff Banister’s staff. First-base coach Steve Buechele is not returning, and hitting coach Anthony Iapoce left last month for the Chicago Cubs.

That leaves assistant pitching coach Dan Warthen and bullpen coach Hector Ortiz. Warthen was a longtime New York Mets pitching coach before joining the Rangers before last season, and Ortiz has long been a highly regarded coach in the Rangers organization.

This story was originally published November 12, 2018 at 7:19 PM.