OAKLAND -- Rangers bench coach Steve Buechele would like the opportunity to manage in the Major Leagues. But…
"Certainly not under these circumstances," said Buechele, who will be managing the Rangers for at least Saturday and Sunday while Jeff Banister is in Texas to be with his mother, Verda.
This will be the first time Buechele has managed a full game since becoming Banister's bench coach in 2015. His previous experience has been when Banister has been ejected from the game. Some managers try to manage by remote control when they get ejected. Banister does not.
"He told us, 'When I'm ejected, I'm out, you guys run the show.'" Buechele said. "He has that trust in the staff and I to do the job."
Buechele was interviewed for the managerial opening when Banister was hired after the 2014 season. His only other interest from another team was a phone interview with the Rockies in 2012 when they hired Walt Weiss.
Buechele retired as a player in 1995 and remained out of the game for 13 years. In 2009, the Rangers hired him as manager of Class A Advanced Bakersfield and he managed six years in the Minor Leagues before joining Banister's staff.
"In the game of baseball, you don't know what will be given or afforded to you," Buechele said. "I feel lucky to have this job. If the opportunity came down the road, it would be nice. It's not on my radar right now."
Rangers beat:
• The Rangers stuck with the plan of giving Shin-Soo Choo a day off on Saturday even after the A's switched starting pitchers to go with right-hander Raul Alcantara instead of left-hander Sean Manaea. That allowed Delino DeShields to stay in the lineup. Buechele said Carlos Gomez will get a day off on Sunday. He has been playing with a sprained right ankle that's not completely healed.
• Buechele on if players are watching the scoreboard to see how the Twins -- the team currently holding the second AL Wild Card spot -- are doing: "It's right in front of you. If anybody says they aren't, they are lying to you."
• The Rangers were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position in Friday's 4-1 loss and they are 6-26 in games when they don't have a hit in those situations. They have lost 11 in a row.