Bret Boone effect? Rangers' turnaround is miraculous since hitting coach's arrival

When the Texas Rangers fired Donnie Ecker, it felt like the move was more about shifting the deck chairs on the Titanic than a proactive move that would have a real effect on the team's offense. However, now that Bret Boone has been on the job for almost three months, it's hard not to wonder if the decision wasn't a stroke of genius by President of Baseball Operations, Chris Young.

It's hard to ever say just what kind of an impact a new hitting coach has on a team. These are all professional hitters who have their own idea about what works and what doesn't. Still, Boone's hiring was a bit different than others. When he was hired, he and the Rangers made it clear it was more about vibes and mental approach than someone who was going to completely change or tweak batting stances. It was about getting the excellent hitters already on the team to relax and let the game come to them.

Coaching switch sparks dramatic Texas Rangers offensive surge

It's impossible to argue that something didn't change. The Texas Rangers' offense in April and May, and then in June and July, is like two different seasons entirely. Some players looked like they'd responded to Boone immediately, others took a bit longer, but almost everyone who has been around the team since the new hitting coach was first hired has seen improvement.

The numbers are irrefutable. In April and May, the Rangers were 27th in all of baseball in runs scored with 180. Only the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, and Colorado Rockies scored fewer runs over that period. They were 28th in batting average at .222, ahead of only the White Sox and Rockies. They were 29th in OPS with a .639 average that was better than only the Pale Hose. Finally, they were 27th in baseball with a 79 wRC+ in April and May.

The turnaround wasn't as evident in June, but it did officially start. There were still struggles for sure. Boone had only been on the job for several weeks when the month began, but whatever he was preaching seemed to be already sinking in.

Texas jumped to 16th in the Majors in runs scored in June and was shockingly close to passing April and May's total all by itself. Batting average still struggled, sitting at 26th in the Bigs, but it improved by 12 points, up to .234 in June. The Rangers' .688 OPS saw them jump seven spots in the rankings, and their 93 wRC+ was still below average but a massive improvement over the first two months of the year.

And now there's July. The Rangers are second in all of baseball in runs scored with 115, behind only another resurgent team in the Toronto Blue Jays' awe-inspiring 127 runs scored. Texas is 12th in the Bigs with a .250 average, and the .751 OPS has them all the way up to No. 10 in the Big Leagues.

Is it a guarantee that Bret Boone is the reason for this turnaround? Of course not. But the timing of the hitting coach change and the offensive improvement can't be ignored. Should that improvement hold for the rest of the season, the staffing change will be held up as one of the big victories for the Texas Rangers in 2025.