Bruce Bochy would be a dream hire for the Texas Rangers

If there was ever a perfect managerial candidate for the Texas Rangers as they attempt to usher in a new era of contention, Bruce Bochy fits the bill.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Rangers GM Chris Young met with the three-time World Champion Bochy on Thursday. There’s no word on how formal the meeting was or what the level of interest for Bochy to become Texas’ next skipper.

What we do know, however, is that this is a positive development all around.

Texas Rangers not fooling around during managerial search by talking to Bruce Bochy

Bruce Bochy managed the San Francisco Giants to three World Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014, with the 2010 championship coming at the expense of the Rangers, of course. He also managed the San Diego Padres from 1995-2006, leading them to their second World Series appearance in franchise history during the 1998 season against the Yankees.

So yeah, this guy knows a thing or two about winning. But more than that, he’s a culture-changer. The kind of hire you make when looking to restore credibility, which the Texas Rangers are lacking in right now, even after signing Corey Seager and Marcus Semien last winter.

Bruce Bochy is the kind of hire you make to send a message to your team and fanbase, as well as free agents this off-season, that winning is very much on the table in Arlington. And it better be, because 2023 has been the targeted year of a return to postseason contention for the Rangers. There’s no one better to announce the march towards said playoff berth than Bochy.

Of course, there are caveats here. Bochy has been retired since leaving San Francisco after the 2019 season, and there’s no indication that he’s definitely returning to the dugout. The 67-year-old skipper may also want a team that is more likely to win a championship in 2023, like say the Chicago White Sox, who likely would’ve made the playoffs this season if not for Tony LaRussa’s incompetence.

It should be taken as a good sign, however, that Bruce Bochy opted to entertain a meeting with Chris Young and the Rangers at all. The former most certainly didn’t have to, and the fact that he did demonstrates that there is at least a possibility here.

Bruce Bochy would be a dream hire as the Texas Rangers’ next manager. This development could be a great first step towards making that happen.