Bochy reflects on late friend Anderson after passing him for 6th on all-time win list

ARLINGTON -- Bruce Bochy doesn’t often think about the names he passes on his way up the MLB managerial wins leaderboard.

With four World Series titles and five pennants under his guidance, Bochy is unquestionably one of the greatest managers in baseball history. Thursday night gave us another reminder of just how great.

Bochy recorded his 2,195th managerial win in the Rangers’ series opener against the Astros at Globe Life Field. With the win, Bochy leaped past Sparky Anderson for sixth place on the all-time wins list among MLB managers. Next in Bochy’s sights is four-time World Series-winning manager Joe Torre, who is 131 wins ahead at 2,326.

Anderson’s name meant a little bit more for Bochy, who grew up a Cincinnati Reds fan in the 1970s thanks to his West Virginia-born father.

“I told the players I would like to honor Sparky,” Bochy said. “Of course, I was a Big Red Machine fan. Johnny Bench was my guy. He probably inspired me to play this game as much as anybody.

“I was lucky enough to get to know Sparky. He retired a year before I started managing, but we became friends. I got to spend some time with him. He was such a wonderful man. So this is a special moment for me. These guys made it really, really special with the game they had, of course, you know what they did for me after the game.”

The game saw Jacob deGrom outduel Houston’s Hunter Brown in a mound matchup that lived up to the hype.

"What a game,” Bochy said afterward. “It was everything we thought this game would be. We knew runs would be at a premium. What a game Jacob threw, and their guy was so tough, too. Just a terrific game to be part of.”

Bochy, one of just 12 skippers to reach the 2,000-win plateau, surpassed Dusty Baker for seventh place on the all-time list following the Rangers’ walk-off triumph over the Dodgers on April 19.

“I mean, look at what he's accomplished in this game,” deGrom said. “He’s the ultimate leader. He knows what to say at the right times. He sounds like how long he's been around the game. It's very impressive. I’m very happy for him. It's an honor to get to play for him.”