Chris Woodward Returning to Dodgers
Former Texas Rangers manager Chris Woodward will reportedly join the Los Angeles Dodgers as a special assistant, per the Los Angeles Times.
The hiring is not official as the Dodgers have not made a formal announcement.
Should Woodward join the organization, it would be a homecoming.
Woodward was the Dodgers third-base coach from 2016-18 after spending four seasons with the Seattle Mariners. While with the Dodgers, he got his first managerial experience, guiding the New Zealand team through 2017 World Baseball Classic.
He interviewed for the New York Yankees managerial opening in 2017, but ultimately ended up taking over the Rangers before the 2019 season. The Rangers fired him in April of last year.
The Rangers went 78-84 in his first season in 2019, the year before the Rangers moved into Globe Life Field — and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Woodward and the Rangers went 22-38 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, and then went 60-102 in 2021, as the club went into rebuilding mode after trading Joey Gallo to the New York Yankees for four prospects.
Woodward was 211-287 as Rangers manager. Tony Beasley was named interim manager after Woodward was fired. In October, the Rangers hired former San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who led them to three World Series titles.
Pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training to the team’s facility in Surprise, Ariz., on Feb. 15, with position players to follow by Feb. 20.
The Spring Training game schedule starts on Feb. 24 with a game against Kansas City at the Surprise complex shared with the Royals.
The Rangers wrap up their exhibition season with a pair of games at Globe Life Field against the Royals on March 27 and 28. The Rangers open up the regular season at home against Philadelphia on March 30.
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