After three seasons as the Texas Rangers manager that included the franchise’s first World Series title in 2023, Texas and Bruce Bochy mutually agreed to part ways, leaving some big shoes to fill for the Rangers’ next manager.
Skip Schumaker, hired in 2024 as a special assistant, is the presumed frontrunner. On Monday, Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young acknowledged that Schumaker would be a candidate for the job
Schumaker, 45-year-old California native, will garner interest from across the league.
Here are five things to know about the potential new Rangers skipper.
Rangers
1. Already has some skins on the wall
Schumaker has coaching experience with the Padres and Cardinals and two years of managerial experience with the Marlins.
His tenure in Miami spanned two seasons from 2023-24, and he was named the National League Manager of the Year in 2023 after guiding Miami to an 84-78 record and a surprising playoff berth.
Having a Manager of the Year award on your résumé certainly can’t hurt during interviews with teams.
2. Bochy’s successor?
Following the 2024 season, the Rangers added Schumaker to the front office as a senior advisor.
When the hire happened, given Bochy’s age and expiring contract after the 2025 season and Schumaker’s managerial experience, it was presumed that Schumaker would be in line to take over as the Rangers manager when Bochy stepped away.
Will Venable was widely considered the Rangers’ manager-in-waiting behind Bochy, but the White Sox hired Venable as their manager following the 2024 season. About a week later, Texas hired a new manager-in-waiting in Schumaker.
Ahead of the 2025 season, Texas also hired Schumaker’s bench coach with the Marlins, Luis Urueta, to replace Venable in the dugout.
3. Not-so-fun Rangers memories
Schumaker had an 11-year career in the MLB, playing for the Cardinals from 2005-12, the Dodgers in 2013 and the Reds from 2014-15.
Yes, you read that right Rangers fans, his stint with the Cardinals includes 2011 when St. Louis topped Texas in a seven-game World Series.
In that World Series, Schumaker appeared in six games, notching two hits in 11 at-bats as a key reserve for St. Louis.
4. Strange exit in Miami
With two games left in the 2024 season, he left the Marlins due to a family emergency and informed players he wouldn’t return for the 2025 season either.
When Marlins GM Kim Ng resigned in 2023 after the team proposed hiring a president of baseball operations over her, Schumaker requested his team option for 2025 be removed ahead of the 2024 season. According to the Miami Herald, this was primarily fueled by his disagreement with the organization’s direction.
So, while his tenure in Miami didn’t last very long, the circumstances of his quick exit didn’t hurt his reputation around baseball as a top managerial candidate.
5. Team USA ties
When the World Baseball Classic takes place in 2026, Schumaker will be donning the red, white and blue.
Schumaker is one of nine assistant coaches on Team USA’s WBC staff, which is headed by Mark DeRosa. Schumaker is the bench coach, joining Andy Pettitte, Matt Holliday, Dino Ebel, George Lombard, Fredi Gonzalez, David Ross, Brian McCann and Texas Rangers Hall of Famer Michael Young as assistant coaches on the team.
The WBC runs from March 5-17 of 2026 with the semifinals and championship being held in Miami.
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