The Rangers fired manager Chris Woodward on Monday, with the team on pace for its sixth consecutive losing season and fourth since he took over the team.
The move came with Woodward only two games shy of managing his 500th game with the Rangers. He finished with a 211-287 record.
Woodward, who was the third base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers before landing his first managerial job, was under contract through next season. The team held an option for the 2024 season.
“We have had extensive discussions over the last several weeks and while the team’s current performance is certainly a big part of this decision, we are also looking at the future,” said Jon Daniels, the team’s president of baseball operations. “As the Rangers continue to develop a winning culture and put the pieces together to compete for the postseason year in and year out, we felt a change in leadership was necessary at this time.”
Daniels said the 46-year-old Woodward was “dedicated and passionate in his efforts to improve the on-field performance” of the team.
Advertisement
Third base coach Tony Beasley was named the team’s interim manager. Beasley is in his eighth season with the Rangers, and is the longest-tenured member of their big-league coaching staff. He previously was on the major league staffs with Washington (2006) and Pittsburgh (2008-10), and had a 590-472 record in eight seasons as a minor league manager in those organizations.
Texas was 53-61 after finishing a series win at home Sunday over the Seattle Mariners, but hasn’t had a winning record at any point, peaking at 24-24 at the end of May.
That’s after a record offseason spending spree that added a half-billion dollar infield — All-Star shortstop Corey Seager to a $325 million, 10-year contract, and Gold Glove second baseman Marcus Semien to a $175, seven-year deal.
Advertisement
Yankees can’t buy a run
The slumping Yankees were shut out in consecutive games for the first time since 2016, losing to Ryan Yarbrough and the Rays, 4-0, at Yankee Stadium.
Coming off a 3-0 defeat Sunday night against the Red Sox, New York failed to provide any run support for ace Gerrit Cole, whose only run allowed followed a misplay in center field by Aaron Hicks.
The AL East leaders were blanked for the fourth time in nine games and dropped to 8-16 since the All-Star break after a 64-28 start.
Yarbrough (1-7) pitched four innings as a bulk reliever for his first win in nearly a year, striking out six without a walk. He previously won Sept. 24, 2021, and had lost eight straight decisions over 14 appearances, matching the franchise record.
Orioles keep winning
Ryan Mountcastle hit a two-run home run in his return to the lineup, Ryan McKenna had his first three-hit game and an RBI, and the surging Orioles improved to 9-4 in August by beating the Blue Jays, 7-3, in Toronto.
Baltimore (60-55) reached 60 wins in a season for the first time since going 75-87 in 2017. The Orioles didn’t win more than 54 games in any of the past three full seasons. The Orioles are fourth in the race for one of three AL wild-card spots.
Five of Mountcastle’s 16 home runs this season have come against the Blue Jays. He has 12 home runs and 25 RBIs against Toronto since the start of 2021. He also homered off Kikuchi in his last start, a week ago in Baltimore.
Advertisement
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 24th home run as the struggling Blue Jays (61-53) lost for the eighth time in 11 games.
Orioles right-hander Kyle Bradish allowed three runs in 4 ⅔ innings and Bryan Baker (4-3) worked 1 ⅓ innings for the win.
Nationals call up top prospect from Soto trade
The Nationals recalled shortstop prospect C.J. Abrams from Triple-A Rochester and placed shortstop Luis García on the 10-day injured list with a left groin strain.
Abrams, 21, was one of five prospects obtained from the San Diego Padres in the Juan Soto-Josh Bell trade on Aug. 2. He is ranked as Washington’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 11 overall prospect in baseball, according to Baseball America.
Abrams became the first of the prospects obtained in the trade to play for Washington. He started the season with San Diego, struggled early, and was demoted to Triple-A El Paso in May. He returned to the Padres in June and hit .271 in 26 games before the trade. Overall, he hit .232 with five doubles, two homers, 11 RBIs, and 16 runs scored in 46 games with San Diego.
García, 22, was batting .289 with 13 doubles, two triples, four home runs, and 25 RBIs in 60 games for the Nationals this season.
Manager Dave Martinez said García will move to second base when he returns from the IL and pair with shortstop Abrams.
World Series could end Nov. 5
The World Series is scheduled to start on a Friday for the first time since 1915 and could end on Nov. 5 — its latest ever — because of the lockout that delayed opening day. Major League Baseball announced its expanded postseason will begin with all four games in the new wild-card series on Oct. 7. The other games are Oct. 8 and 9, if necessary . . . Dodgers righty Walker Buehler will have season-ending surgery for the elbow injury that has prevented him from pitching for the last two months. A two-time All-Star, Buehler is 6-3 with a 4.02 ERA in 12 appearances this season. He last pitched June 10 . . . Blue Jays outfielder George Springer was activated off the injured list. Springer went on the injured list Aug. 5 because of a sore right elbow, the same injury that caused him to skip last month’s All-Star Game. Toronto has lost six of eight without Springer, who is expected to see more time at DH than in the outfield as he continues to deal with elbow soreness . . . The Phillies placed righty reliever Corey Knebel on the 15-day IL with a right lat strain. He was expected to have an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of the injury. Knebel missed 92 games with a similar injury last season with the Dodgers . . . The Mets placed infielder Luis Guillorme on the 10-day injured list Monday when an MRI revealed a moderate left groin strain. Guillorme is batting .283 with two homers and 14 RBIs in 86 games . . . Kansas City relief pitcher Amir Garrett received a three-game suspension and an undisclosed fine for tossing a drink at a fan behind the Royals’ dugout during a game at Chicago two weeks ago. Garrett appealed the punishment, allowing him to continue to pitch. Garrett posted an apology on Twitter the following day, writing that his actions were “uncalled for.” Garrett also tweeted that players “are held to a higher standard and the chirping from fans” is part of the game.
Advertisement