Rangers meet with former SF Giants manager Bruce Bochy amidst job search

The Texas Rangers interviewed former SF Giants manager Bruce Bochy for their open managerial position, per Ken Rosenthal.

The Texas Rangers interviewed former SF Giants manager Bruce Bochy for their open managerial position on Thursday, according to a report by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Bochy, of course, was the Giants manager from 2007-2019 and helped lead San Francisco to three World Series championships.

SF Giants manager Bruce Bochy speaks to fans after his final home game with the team. (2022) / Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Bochy is a baseball lifer. He has worked exclusively in professional baseball since he was drafted by the Astros in the first round of the 1975 MLB Draft. Bochy made his big-league debut with Houston in 1978 and went on to have a nine-year MLB career, almost exclusively as a backup catcher. Between stints with the Astros, Mets, and Padres, Bochy appeared in 358 games and hit .239/.298/.388 with 26 home runs.

Bochy retired as a professional player in 1988 and began his managerial career the next season in the minor leagues the following season. He worked his way up the minor league ranks and became the Padres manager in 1995. Under his tutelage, Bochy led San Diego to four division titles, the 1998 pennant, and a 951-975 record.

A new Padres front office under Sandy Alderson wanted to move on from Bochy after his 12 years as the team's manager. Then Giants general manager Brian Sabean took advantage of the situation to hire Bochy away from a division rival. While the Giants struggled in Bochy's first two seasons at the helm, things quickly shifted when emerging stars like Tim Lincecum, Brian Wilson, Buster Posey, and Madison Bumgarner reached the majors.

Of course, Bochy was the Giants manager for their dynastic run from 2010-2014, which included three World Series championships. However, when the Giants hired president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, someone with ties to Alderson, it seemed like Bochy's days with the franchise were numbered.

Bochy decided to step away from managing the Giants after the 2019 season and has since enjoyed retired life while occasionally traveling to the organization's minor-league affiliates while working as a consultant. With that said, even though Bochy said managing in the modern game is less than it used to be fun never ruled out returning to an MLB dugout.

Rangers executive vice president and general manager Chris Young has some firsthand experience with Bochy's abilities as a manager. Young played for Bochy in 2006, when the Padres won the NL West. While Young would spend four more seasons in San Diego after Bochy's departure, he would never return to the postseason with the team.

If Bochy does return to a big-league dugout as a manager in 2023, fans should expect to see plenty of old faces at SF Giants games joining him on his staff. Bochy has consistently been loyal to his top assistants, and many have struggled to receive similar opportunities since he left the Giants. For now, fans will have to wait and see if the Rangers will give Bruce Bochy another managerial opportunity.