Texas Rangers rumors: Chris Woodward frontrunner, Brandon Hyde out as manager candidate

Texas Rangers rumors: Chris Woodward, Los Angeles Dodgers third base coach, is “a frontrunner” to be named the Texas Rangers new manager, according to Jon Morosi on Twitter, who says Minnesota Twins bench coach Derek Shelton is also a “strong candidate.” Meanwhile, Brandon Hyde, the Cubs’ bench coach, is staying with the Cubs, according to Carrie Muskat, which means that he is apparently out of the running.

Woodward seemed like someone the Rangers had significant interest in, consider the team essentially put the managerial search on hold once the Los Angeles Dodgers made the playoffs so they could wait to meet with Woodward after their season wrapped up. Shelton, like Woodward, is a candidate that was not part of the first group that the team interviewed.

Along with Hyde, the Rangers also interviewed David Bell, who has been hired by the Cincinnati Reds as their manager, Rocco Baldelli, who has been hired by the Minnesota Twins as their manager, Stubby Clapp, who has joined the St. Louis Cardinals’ coaching staff, and Joe Girardi, who is reportedly staying with MLB Network. The candidates that the Rangers have interviewed and who have not been ruled out, aside from Woodward and Shelton, are Dusty Wathan, Joe Espada, Eric Chavez, Jayce Tingler and Don Wakamatsu. The Rangers may have interviewed someone else who I am forgetting.