Rangers make bold hire and import likely Bruce Bochy successor

It is still not entirely clear what the Texas Rangers would like to do long-term as an organization, but their most recent hire offers some serious clarity.

It was reported Tuesday that the Rangers have hired former Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker as a senior advisor to president of baseball operations Chris Young. The move comes shortly after promoting Ross Fenstermaker to general manager and losing associate manager Will Venable to the Chicago White Sox' managerial opening.

Schumaker was the 2023 NL Manager of the Year after leading Miami to an 84-78 record as well a Postseason appearance. The former utility player asked for his 2025 option to be rendered mute this past spring, and signaled he would at least be open to other possibilities by doing so.

Rangers make bold hire and import likely Bruce Bochy successor

Texas' choice to hire the California native hints at a long-term vision that may be hard to see at first glance. After winning the 2023 World Series and falling short of expectations in 2024, it would be rather easy for fans to simply think about 2025 as an isolated mission. But, this latest move suggests that the franchise is attempting to build an internal safety net which could also pay dividends in the future.

For the past few seasons, Ranger fans have suspected that Venable would take over for Bochy in the near future. His experience as a player, front office member, and coach made him an easy name to believe in. But, now that he has moved on to Chicago, Schumaker will instantly become the new "heir apparent."

If 2025 is not a banner season, it is not a stretch to suggest that Bochy would either retire or look for another job elsewhere. Texas could then pivot to Schumaker, and entrust the team to a manager who has succeeded in the position before.

Texas is clearly trying to plan for the future. Their desire to get under the luxury threshold and new hires raise questions regarding what their offseason strategy will be. Regardless of what the front office decides to do, they have given fans reason to remain vigilant.