Why did the Texas Rangers fire manager Chris Woodward? Here are 6 reasons
Why did the Texas Rangers fire manager Chris Woodward on Friday? Here are the six main reasons.
The record: It doesn’t get any simpler than that. The Rangers are 51-63 and 23 games behind the Houston Astros in the American League’s West Division. The franchise is on its way to its sixth consecutive losing season, the longest such streak in its history.
The history: It’s not just one season. Woodward has had four consecutive losing seasons. He has a 211-287 overall record (.424 winning percentage). He was 78-84 in 2019, 22-38 in the shortened 2020 season, 60-102 in 2021.
The money: The Rangers spent more than a half of a billion dollars on free agent infielders Corey Seager and Marcus Semien. Despite the big bats, the team has fell far below expectations.
The underperformers: The Rangers are ranked ninth in the American League in batting (.241) and 12th in pitching (4.09 ERA).
The future: The Rangers can get started on hiring their next manager now before other teams fire their managers in the offseason. The pool is bigger now and general manager Chris Young can survey the field and make an offer.
The attendance: The Rangers attendance has dropped dramatically this year. Ranked 17th in the majors, the Rangers are averaging 25,094 per game. It’s their lowest average since 2008.
This story was originally published August 15, 2022 at 1:25 PM.