Rangers firing hitting coach Donnie Ecker after rare offensive outburst
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The Texas Rangers announced the release of hitting coach Donnie Ecker amid ongoing struggles at the plate.

Ecker played a significant role in the Rangers’ 2023 World Series victory after joining the team in November 2021. He held the title of offensive coordinator during the successful season.


Donnie Ecker was relieved of his duties on Sunday.
Donnie Ecker was relieved of his duties on Sunday. Getty Images

However, the team’s offensive performance has declined since then.

Despite an 8-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners on the day of the announcement, the Rangers’ offense has been underwhelming throughout the season.

“After lengthy discussions and deliberations, we feel now is the appropriate time to provide our hitters with a new voice as we pursue goals of winning the division and reaching the postseason,” said Rangers President Chris Young in a statement.

The Rangers are just 17-18 this season and are ranked 25th in the league with a .228 batting average and a .359 slugging percentage.

Even now, the Rangers are still toward the bottom in several key offensive metrics — their .644 OPS is the fourth-worst in the league even following their win Sunday.

Meanwhile, they are seventh in ERA at 3.44.

Several key players have underperformed, notably Marcus Semien and Adolis García, while offseason acquisition Joc Pederson has struggled significantly as well.

Infielder Jake Burger, another offseason addition, was recently optioned to Triple-A after batting .190 with three home runs and 12 RBIs across 30 contests


Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers looks on after flying out against the Seattle Mariners during the eighth inning at Globe Life Field on May 3, 2025.
Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers looks on after flying out against the Seattle Mariners during the eighth inning at Globe Life Field on May 3, 2025. Getty Images

The team has not yet named a replacement for Ecker, but they did note that the club’s hitting staff will be addressed in the coming days.

Ecker, whose four-year run with Texas comes to a close, also coached on the staff of the San Francisco Giants from 2020-2021 as well as the Cincinnati Reds in 2019.

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