The Texas Rangers have decided to part ways with Donnie Ecker, who was their offensive coordinator, amidst ongoing struggles at the plate.
Ecker joined the team in November 2021 and was instrumental in helping the Rangers achieve their 2023 World Series Championship. However, the team’s batting performance has declined recently.
Interestingly, even though the Rangers celebrated an 8-1 victory against the Seattle Mariners on the day of the announcement, their overall offensive issues have been hard to overlook this season.
“After a lengthy period of discussion, we believe it’s the right moment to introduce new voices for our hitters as we aim to win the division and reach the postseason,” said Chris Young, the Rangers’ President, in a statement.
This season, the Rangers hold a 17-18 record and find themselves ranking 25th in the league.
Currently, they are lagging behind in key offensive metrics, with a .644 OPS, placing them fourth in the league after Sunday’s win.
On the other hand, their ERA stands at 3.44, ranking seventh. However, some recent acquisitions, like JOC Pederson, haven’t performed well, and other important players such as Marcus Semien and Adris Garcia have also shown significant declines.
Furthermore, infielder Jake Burger, another offseason addition, has been sent to Triple A after putting up disappointing numbers, batting .190 with three home runs and 12 RBIs over 30 games.
While the team has not yet announced who will replace Ecker, changes to the hitting staff are expected in the near future.
Ecker’s tenure in Texas marked the end of his four-year run, which included coaching roles with the San Francisco Giants and the Cincinnati Reds prior to joining the Rangers.
