Rangers Hope To Keep Nolan Ryan

There’s a chance that Nolan Ryan will leave the Rangers following leadership changes in Texas, but the club hopes to keep its Hall of Fame CEO in place, Randy Galloway of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. It’s possible Ryan will leave the Rangers by the end of Spring Training, Galloway reports. However, Rangers co-chairman Bob Simpson said he wants Ryan to remain with the team forever.

“Nolan Ryan leaving the Rangers would be a tragedy, and something we don’t want to happen,” Simpson said. “We absolutely do not want Nolan to leave.”

The Rangers recently announced promotions for Jon Daniels, now the team’s president of baseball operations and general manager, and Rick George, now the team’s president of business operations. Daniels now has autonomy on all baseball decisions and George has the final say on business decisions, which seems to leave Ryan with reduced power. 

Simpson said Ryan will still make “significant decisions” even if he’s less involved in the club’s day to day moves. The Astros loom as a team with possible interest in Ryan, and it’s a possibility Simpson has considered. “Nolan isn’t going anywhere, not as far as I’m concerned,” Simpson said.