If you had asked me 48 hours ago if Bruce Bochy would be back with the Rangers in 2026, I would have said yes.

Not, I should note, with a great deal of confidence. I wouldn’t have bet the house on it. Bochy is 70 years old, his contract was up, and the Rangers had fallen short of the playoffs two years in a row. Bochy being ready to return to retirement, or wanting to pursue another opportunity with another team, or the organization wanting to make a change…all those were realistic possibilities.

So even if I didn’t expect it to happen, Bruce Bochy not returning in 2026 isn’t a surprise.

It is mildly surprising, though, that the news broke so quickly. The long fly ball off the bat of Brayan Rocchio hit the foul pole at Progressive Field at roughly 5:25 p.m. on Sunday. Less than 24 hours

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