There are games, there is work, and then there are moments that you can never get back. Tonight is one of those for Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker. He will not be in attendance for the series finale against the Houston Astros because he has a more important commitment.
This is one of those times that you can’t ever get back or duplicate. Globe Life Field and his beloved team, the Rangers, will just have to wait. Instead, Schumaker will be traveling to California to watch his son Brody graduate from high school.
Bench coach Luis “Pipe” Urueta will be stepping in as acting manager, according to beat writer, Kennedi Landry on X.
Skip’s son Brody is not just any high school graduate. He is following in his father’s footsteps into the game of baseball. The younger Schumaker has already committed to TCU as a baseball player for next season.
For a manager who has built a strong reputation around being invested in people, stepping away from the MLB game tonight in honor of his son says a lot about his priorities and value of family.
Urueta’s Strong Record as Manager
Urueta is not a stranger to filling in as acting manager, and he’s pretty good at it. The bench coach enters the matchup on Thursday evening with a perfect managing record of 3-0. Schumaker has done a good job of leaving the team in capable hands.
Schumaker is in his first season managing the Rangers after he signed a five-year deal in the offseason to replace Bruce Bochy. This did not come as a surprise to anyone; it felt more like a smooth transition.
Schumaker had left the Miami Marlins, where he earned the National League Manager of the Year Award in 2023 after guiding the Marlins to an 84-win season. It was their first postseason appearance in 20 years.
The Rangers and Astros are wrapping up a four-game series that has been a game of back and forth. The series opener was a shock to the Rangers as the Astros threw a combined no-hitter for the win, 9-0. Tuesday night’s matchup ended with a W for the Rangers after they shelled Jason Alexander for eight runs in the first inning alone. Wednesday favored the Astros again with a final score of 4-3.
So, should the patterns continue, Urueta will remain with a perfect managing record, and the Rangers will record another win. Schumaker on the other hand will be exactly where he should be.
Congratulations to Brody Schumaker. Go Frogs and Go Rangers.
