If Bruce Bochy Climbs Into MLB Top 5 Wins List, Will It Be With Texas Rangers?

Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy will soon move up another spot the all-time list for wins. Currently, the 70-year-old skipper is No. 7 in career wins, with the sixth spot in his sights.

But how high can Bochy realistically climb? Considering his age and contract status, the next legendary manager that he passes could be the ceiling for “Boch.”

Bochy picked up career win No. 2,191 in Sunday's 6-1 win over the Detroit Tigers, leaving him three short over Hall of Fame manager and friend Sparky Anderson. There’s a special connection with Anderson, who managed Bochy’s favorite teams growing up and the Tigers to World Series titles, Anderson died in 2010.

“I was a big Sparky Anderson fan,” said Bochy, according to MLB.com. “I grew up a Cincinnati Reds fan. So when you get called up to the big leagues [in 1978 by the Astros], you know you’re in the Major Leagues.

“But when it hit me the second time was when I played against the Reds. [Johnny] Bench was catching and Sparky was managing on the other side. And then [while playing for the Padres,] he was managing against us in the World Series, and I respected him so much.”

How Much Farther Can Bruce Bochy Move up All-Time MLB Wins List?

Bochy is going to catch Anderson. That’s a certainty. As for climbing higher in the top six, not much is certain for the Majors’ active wins leader.

At No. 5 is Joe Torre with 2,326 victories. That’s 135 wins away. Considering Bochy is likely good for another 60ish wins in 2025, he’ll need at least another season to pass the former New York Yankees manager. Bobby Cox (2,504) would be next up and that’s likely at least three years away.

Bochy is in the last year of his contract with the Rangers. The club would almost certainly extend the only skipper to win a World Series in franchise history, as reported last year, but the Rangers also have a manager-in-waiting with Skip Schumaker.

Schumaker previously managed the Miami Marlins and joined the Rangers as a senior advisor to general manager Chris Young in 2024. Would Schumaker wait another season or more if Bochy re-signs?

Would Bochy finish out his contract and go to another team, with the goal of being the first manager to win World Series titles with three cubs? He won three titles with the San Francisco Giants. Or would Bochy just retire to his home in Nashville and await his certain induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young has said repeatedly the decision to return is entirely up to Bochy.

Those decisions have yet to be made. In the meantime, Bochy will continue to add milestones on the road to Cooperstown.