Texas Rangers fire offensive coordinator as team struggles to score runs
Oct 4, 2023; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (L) and bench coach/offensive coordinator Donnie Ecker (R) celebrate after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays in game two of the Wildcard series for the 2023 MLB playoffs at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
The Texas Rangers have fired offensive coordinator Donnie Ecker, the team announced on Sunday.
Ecker was in his fourth season with the Rangers and had been a coach since the 2021 season, and was a member of the 2023 team that won their first World Series in franchise history.
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The team's offense has struggled this season, ranking in the bottom 10 in hits (No. 26 ), runs scored (No. 29), and batting average (No. 26), and has only scored more than two runs twice in the last 10 games, including an 8-1 victory Sunday over the Seattle Mariners.
In a statement, President of Baseball Operations Chris Young thanked Ecker for his time with the team but said it was time to make a change.
'After lengthy discussions and deliberations, we feel now is the appropriate time to provide our hitters with a new voice as we pursue goals of winning the division and reaching the postseason,' said Young. 'We are extremely grateful to Donnie for all that he has accomplished here with the Rangers, including his role in the club's 2023 World Series championship. We wish him the best.'
The team is expected to address the structure of the club's hitting staff in the coming days.
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