The move came with Woodward only two games shy of managing his 500th game with the Rangers. He finished with a 211-287 record.
Woodward, who was the third base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers before landing his first managerial job, was under contract through next season. The team held an option for the 2024 season.
鈥淲e have had extensive discussions over the last several weeks and while the team鈥檚 current performance is certainly a big part of this decision, we are also looking at the future,鈥� said Jon Daniels, the team鈥檚 president of baseball operations. 鈥淎s the Rangers continue to develop a winning culture and put the pieces together to compete for the postseason year in and year out, we felt a change in leadership was necessary at this time.鈥�
Third base coach Tony Beasley was named the team鈥檚 interim manager, starting with Monday night鈥檚 game against the Oakland A鈥檚.
Texas was 53-61 after finishing a series win at home Sunday over the Seattle Mariners, but hasn鈥檛 had a winning record at any point this season. That鈥檚 even after a record offseason spending spree that added a half-billion dollar infield 鈥� All-Star shortstop Corey Seager to a $325 million, 10-year contract, and Gold Glove second baseman Marcus Semien to a $175, seven-year deal.
The Rangers peaked at 24-24 at the end of May, but then lost their next three games and five of six.
When the Rangers signed Seager, Semien and right-hander Jon Gray (four-year, $56 million contract), they knew they still had a long way to go after 102 losses last season. But they expected to be showing more significant improvement this season.
Beasley is in his eighth season with the Rangers, and is the longest-tenured member of their big-league coaching staff. He previously was on the major league staffs with Washington (2006) and Pittsburgh (2008-10), and had a 590-472 record in eight seasons as a minor league manager in those organizations.
