After seven seasons with the Texas Rangers, Mike Maddux will not return as the team’s pitching coach in 2016.
Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram first reported Maddux would not be back Thursday, later adding it was the Rangers’ decision:
The team announced the move later in the day, and general manager Jon Daniels said the team had decided to “go in a different direction,” per Jon Morosi of Fox Sports.
This does represent a change of heart for the franchise, as Wilson wrote on Oct. 20 the Rangers did make Maddux a contract offer for next season:
The Texas Rangers have extended a contract offer to pitching coach Mike Maddux, who is considering potential opportunities with other clubs before deciding if he will stay with the Rangers.
Maddux has expressed a desire to stay in Arlington, where he has presided over the pitching staff since Nolan Ryan wooed him from Milwaukee after the 2008 season, and would likely have to be overwhelmed to leave.
Texas’ pitching staff didn’t have a dominant year overall in 2015, finishing 23rd with a 4.24 team ERA, but it was also without Yu Darvish all season due to Tommy John surgery, Derek Holland and Martin Perez combined to make 24 starts, and Cole Hamels wasn’t acquired until July 31.
Despite all of those injury problems, the Rangers still won the American League West and took the Toronto Blue Jays to five games in the American League Division Series.
Maddux has been a managerial candidate in the past, interviewing for the Chicago Cubs job in 2011, but all of the vacancies this year are filling up.
Given Maddux’s reputation and work with a depleted pitching staff in 2015, it shouldn’t take long for him to find another job if he wants it.
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