Five-Timer Bruce Bochy 'Blown Away' After All-Star Game Win

Texas Rangers' Bruce Bochy become the second manager to win the All-Star Game with both leagues after the American League beat the National League 5-3 on Tuesday.

Jul 16, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Bruce Bochy, manager of the America League, before during the 2024 MLB All-Star game at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports / Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Managing the MLB All-Star Game may seem like old hat for Bruce Bochy, but the Texas Rangers skipper sure doesn’t feel that way.

After his American League squad captured the Midsummer Classic 5-3 on Tuesday night at Globe Life Field, Bochy took time to reflect on the moment. He admitted to being “blown away” after becoming the ninth manager to lead an All-Star team at least five times.

“When I first started managing, I didn’t know if I’d ever manage in the Major Leagues,” Bochy said, according to MLB.com. “I was enjoying managing the Minor Leagues and I had such a high pedestal [for MLB]. To manage five All-Star games, yeah, I’ll be honest: I’m blown away by it. I had this opportunity to do this five times.

“This is my first time as an American League manager. And again, just how blessed I am and how fortunate I am to be in this situation. I don’t think about it until it’s brought up, but I’m blown away. This is such a big game.”

Bochy also had the opportunity manage three of his players in Marcus Semien, Corey Seager and Kirby Yates, in addition to making history. Bochy joined Casey Stengel (10), Walter Alston (9), Joe McCarthy (7), Tony La Russa (6), Joe Torre (6), Sparky Anderson (5), Bobby Cox (5) and Al Lopez (5) in the five-timers club.

The AL All-Star team has been led by a Rangers manager three times. In addition to Bochy, Ron Washington did so in 2011 and 2012 after Texas reached the World Series in each of the previous two years. Bochy was the first Rangers manager to lead an All-Star team with the game in Arlington.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Bochy became the second manager to win the All-Star Game with both leagues, joining Tony LaRussa, who did it three times with the AL and once with the NL. Bochy won with the NL in 2011 when he was with the San Francisco Giants.

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