Even before Bruce Bochy came out of retirement to manage the Texas Rangers, it was long known that the Baseball Hall of Fame would be calling sooner rather than later.

On Monday morning, that inevitability came one step closer as Bochy was announced as one of the eight men on this year’s Baseball Hall of Fame contemporary ballot.

The contemporary era committee, which is for managers, executives, and umpires, will meet on Dec. 6 in San Diego at the Winter Meetings.

Whoever is elected by a 16-member committee on that day will be elected to the Hall of Fame in next year’s class alongside players who will be voted in by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

This year marks Bochy’s first year on the ballot, but there’s no doubt that his Hall of Fame case is a slam dunk.

Bochy finished his career sixth all time in managerial wins, and fourth all time in games managed while winning four World Series championships. There are only six managers in MLB history to have won at least four titles.

After retiring in 2020, Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young convinced Bochy to come out of retirement and manage Texas prior to the 2023 season.

Of course, it didn’t take long for Bochy to make an immediate impact as he led the Rangers to their first World Series title that same season.

Alongside the World Series, the Rangers had six players named to the All-Star team, two Silver Slugger winners, three Gold Glove Award winners, six All-MLB Team selections, and the American League’s team Silver Slugger.

In 2024, Bochy managed the American League All-Star team during the Midsummer Classic that was played at Globe Life Field. Marcus Semien, Corey Seager, and Kirby Yates each represented Texas in that game.

After missing the playoffs in both 2024 and 2025, Bochy did not return as manager of the Rangers after the expiration of his three-year contract.

Texas then promoted Skip Schumaker from a special advisor position to manager, and in 2027, he will embark on his second season as head of the club.

In their first year under Schumaker’s leadership, the Rangers finished with a record of 80-82, missing out on the American League West Division title by just one game.

As for Bochy, he may not always be instantly known as a Ranger, but there’s no doubt he is one of the most important figures in franchise history.