The four-time World Series-winning manager isn’t throwing in the towel, but he will be juggling playing time until the season ends.
ARLINGTON — Each game, twice a game, manager Bruce Bochy meets with the media. At this point in the Rangers’ season, there isn’t much new stuff to discuss.
As good as the local media is, there are only so many ways to ask Bochy about why the offense has been so dreadful this season and what the latest is with all the injured starting pitchers.
But the conversation shifted Sunday morning, when one of the best managers in baseball history started to open up about what the rest of the Rangers’ season could hold. Yes, the goal is to win as many games as possible and possibly make some noise in the standings, but Bochy is also managing for 2025.
“It’s a tough year, but it’s not over,” Bochy said. “I still want to finish strong. I think it’d be important for us as a club to finish strong and get that swagger we had back and realize how good they are.”
The Rangers entered the Aug. 18 series finale against the Twins having lost 16 of their past 21 games to slide 11 games behind the Astros in the American League West at 56-68. Every step forward is followed by at least two steps back.
A lineup that led the league last season in most offensive categories has been plagued by long stretches where key hitters have gone AWOL, most notably right fielder Adolis Garcia. No hitter, though, has been immune from an extended funk, and now the pitching staff has started to flounder after carrying the load most of the season.
The Rangers never envisioned that their season would come to this, and the reality has hit them after the high of winning the World Series last season.
“They’re disappointed, disappointed for the city, fans, themselves,” Bochy said. “It’s looking bleak as far as getting where we wanted to go this year. I think you can learn more from a season like this than a good season.”
Bochy acknowledged that some regulars will start to get more days off after grinding through a long 2023 and the first five months of this season. Players the Rangers need to learn about for 2025 will be getting more playing time, and that will become more evident when rosters expand in September. It could start happening before August ends.
The Rangers want to see Jacob deGrom pitch during the final month so that he can get his feet wet for next season and head into the offseason at full strength. They will likely want to see more of Ezequiel Duran and Justin Foscue and possibly Blaine Crim, Sam Huff and Dustin Harris. Right-hander Jack Leiter seems to be a lock to pitch in the majors in the final month.
Rosters expand only by two players in September, as opposed to unlimited 40-man promotions that existed not long ago, so general manager Chris Young might have to create room on the active roster. Bochy, meanwhile, said he will have to pick his spots.
The goal each day is to win. That doesn’t change even with the postseason unlikely.
“You get to this point of the season, you’re at where we’re at, sure, nothing’s impossible, but you’re realistic,” Bochy said. “But it shouldn’t change how you come out here and play.”
Jeff Wilson, jwilson@alldlls.com
