Rangers Sign Manager Chris Woodward to Contract Extension

The Texas Rangers have locked up their manager for at least the next two seasons.

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers have signed manager Chris Woodward to a contract extension through the 2023 season with a club option for 2024. 

Woodward, 45, will be in his fourth season as the Rangers skipper in 2022. His 384 games as manager from 2019-21 are already sixth-most in club history, trailing Ron Washington (1,275 from 2007-14), Bobby Valentine (1,186 from 1985-92), Johnny Oates (983 from 1995-2001), Buck Showalter (648 from 2003-06) and Jeff Banister (638 from 2015-18). Woodward has compiled a 160-224 career record since being appointed as the 19th full-time manager in Rangers history on Nov. 3, 2018.

“We’re excited to continue our partnership with Woody, and we are all committed to a shared vision for the direction of the ballclub,” said Rangers president of baseball operations Jon Daniels in a press release. “He has helped to lay the foundation of our culture here at the Rangers, and we feel confident in his leadership abilities moving forward.”

When Daniels met with the media on Friday afternoon via Zoom, it was clear that he and the rest of Rangers leadership believe Woodward is the man who will lead the club back into contention.

"I just feel really strongly about him and how he goes about his business and who he is as a person, his family and all that," Daniels said. "I couldn't see working with anybody else. I still feel that way about him. Quite frankly, as we've gone about the recruiting process here a little bit and talking with other players, it's so genuine to see how much these guys respond to him and have genuine interest in playing for him and working with him. So I’m really excited about what we're going to accomplish together over a number of years ahead.”

The Rangers are pivoting away from "tear-down" mode and back-to-back last-place finishes, including a 102-loss season in 2021. However, the Rangers fully believe in Woodward's ability to get the most out of his players, which is highlighted by a 78-win season and third-place finish in 2019—a year many did not expect the Rangers to flirt with a .500 record.

“After seeing Woody’s passion and consistency first-hand over the last year, extending our partnership is an easy decision,” said Rangers general manager Chris Young. “I look forward to continuing our shared commitment to improving the club.”

The Rangers are spending time, and potentially a lot of resources, on bringing impact players to Texas via free agency and trades to coincide with a revamped farm system that is about to start producing some of its most exciting prospects. Woodward has also played a role in the hirings of new bench coach Donnie Ecker and hitting coach Tim Hyers.

Clearly, the Rangers are committed to seeing what this coaching staff will do once a better collection of talent begins taking the field at Globe Life Field. Daniels called the decision to give Woodward an extension was "obvious", and he even called him the heart and soul of the organization.

“It's humbling to hear that,” Woodward said. “Obviously, I definitely lead with my heart and I think JD knows that. That's probably the thing that drives me the most is to be able to be myself. JD and [Chris Young] have allowed that.

"At the same time, I feel like I have a responsibility taking on this job and keeping everybody moving in the right direction and hold our standards as high as possible; set the expectations as high as possible. ... We haven’t won a lot the last few years and I take full blame for that. We need to be better, but we're moving in the right direction. I think we're around that corner, and I can't wait for what's going to happen next."

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