Rangers, manager Chris Woodward once again considered ‘unwritten rules’ during Padres’ historic no-hitter

ARLINGTON — Baseball’s “unwritten rules” were one of baseball’s biggest storylines last season when San Diego played against the Rangers in Arlington.

That time it was Fernando Tatis Jr. swinging on a 3-0 count in the eighth inning with a seven-run lead and the bases loaded. He hit a grand slam. Texas manager Chris Woodward was infamously unhappy about it.

Amid Joe Musgrove’s historic no-hitter Friday night, unwritten rules again came into play.

As the Rangers went deeper into that game without a hit, it became an interesting question of whether the offense would try to bunt. San Diego’s third baseman was playing off the line, after all. And it was still a close game.

It was a conversation that Woodward and his coaches actually did partake in.

“I don’t know if I should comment on this,” Woodward said with a smile Saturday, clearly remembering the near-universal scorn he got from baseball fans the last time he dipped his toes into the unwritten rules conversation. “I don’t know if I’m the right guy to comment in a Padres series.”

But Woodward did eventually comment, and he actually erred on the side of not bunting. While not an actual rule, it is against unwritten rules to attempt to break up a no-hitter with a bunt hit.

“I don’t think any of our guys were going to try to break up a no-hitter past the sixth inning, with a bunt,” Woodward said. “Now you could obviously make the claim, ‘Hey, if they’re going to play in the shift, it’s different.’ I’d rather our guys earn it and get a clean hit.”

The difference, in Woodward’s mind, would be if it was a one-run game. Then everything is on the table. But with Texas’ deficit at 3-0 for most of the game, it was too big a lead for the Rangers to bunt.

It’s unclear if Woodward actively restricted players from bunting in any way. No Rangers tried it, and Musgrove’s night ended with a dogpile on the Globe Life Field mound.

That Padres-Rangers game in 2020 ended with Woodward being the topic of conversation. And even if Woodward again elected to side with unwritten rules on Friday, it’s because the team did that, the story didn’t once again shift his or Texas’ way.

“The fact that it was still a low-scoring game,” Woodward said. “You could make an argument for it, but I’d rather them just get a clean hit. Eliminate the controversy.”

Familiar pairing: Rangers starting pitcher Jordan Lyles matched up with catcher Jonah Heim for the second consecutive game. In the first go-around it was a good pairing for Lyles, who allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings.

Woodward said he was happy the duo worked together again and said that when possible, he will try to set up specific pitchers with specific catchers.

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