Texas Rangers fire manager Chris Woodward as team slogs out 6th straight losing season

The Texas Rangers have ripped off the Band-Aid on another manager.

Chris Woodward was fired Monday before the team hosts the Oakland A’s at Globe Life Field.

The Rangers have been reeling since flirting with .500 at the end of June, although they just took two of three games from the Mariners over the weekend.

The Rangers announced that third base coach Tony Beasley will serve as the interim manager.

Rangers team President Jon Daniels, along with general manager Chris Young, addressed the media about the move. Co-owner Ray Davis watched from the wings but did not answer any questions.

“From the leadership team, [including] ownership and CY and myself, we did not come into this season thinking we had put together a championship roster,” Daniels said. “We thought we had made a major step forward in talent from where we were a year ago. We were, and continue to be, realistic about where we are. That said, we do think we’re better than our record and better than the way that we have played at times.”

Daniels said the decision to make the change with 48 games remaining in the season was about getting a jump on 2023.

“We think we have an opportunity to begin addressing some items with a change in leadership style,” he said. “How we prepare, style of play, the structure in which we put together our pregame, which ultimately leads to how our players take the field and what our fans see every night.”

The team has struggled to show much improvement in the standings and are headed for their franchise-record sixth consecutive losing season, and fourth under Woodward.

Woodward is 211-287 with the Rangers.

He took over a fledgling team with a bare farm system in 2019. The Rangers lost 102 games a year ago but signed high-priced infielders Corey Seager and Marcus Semien to help speed up a dragging rebuilding process.

After slow starts, both have performed adequately, but not strong enough to make up for a struggling starting rotation and a bullpen that has begun to falter more frequently. Marcus Semien eluded to Woodward’s options being limited with only two veteran starting pitchers in the rotation and “young guys still learning.” Semien said that forced Woodward to constantly massage his bullpen, which also has its issues.

First baseman Nathaniel Lowe said he was surprised at the timing but didn’t sound too shocked at the news. Same with Semien.

“I don’t want to speak for him, because he put in a lot of time in this organization, too, but the record shows you why changes are made,” Lowe said. “If we expect to show up and do the same thing over and over again then we’re doing this organization, we’re doing this city a disservice by not putting a winning baseball product on the field.”

At the trade deadline, Daniels was asked if Woodward’s job was on the line. Daniels didn’t offer a strong defense of his manager at the time.

“We are where we are in the standings, but that’s not a reflection of any one person or any one group,” Daniels said at the trade deadline press conference. “Ultimately, that’s on the two of us [Daniels and Young]. I think Woody and the staff are working tirelessly and do whatever they can to continue to develop this group and push forward.”