Rangers to hire Pirates bench coach as new manager

The new manager for the Texas Rangers will be Pittsburgh Pirates bench coach Jeff Banister.

The Dallas Morning News reported that Banister, who lives near Houston, will be named manager sometime Thursday afternoon. He replaces Ron Washington.

The 49-year-old Banister has been Pirates manager Clint Hurdle’s bench coach for the past four years. He has spent his entire baseball career with the Pirates organization.

He had one major league at-bat — he singled. While in high school, Banister overcame cancer in his leg. While in junior college, an injury paralyzed him for 10 days.

Banister beat out interim Rangers manager Tim Bogar for the job along with Cleveland bullpen coach Kevin Cash. Banister and Cash had second interviews with Rangers officials on Wednesday.

Bogar’s future with the team is uncertain. He went 14-8 as interim manager after Washington resigned.