Ron Washington on Thursday made his first public comments since suddenly resigning as the Texas Rangers’ manager Sept 5.
Washington acknowledged during a news conference that he broke his wife’s trust. The former Rangers skipper did not take questions or go into great detail, but he expressed remorse while addressing reporters.
“I was not true to my wife after 42 years. I broke her trust,” Washington said, via The Dallas Morning News. “I’m here today to own that — the mistake — and to apologize to her and to those I disappointed. And those who have trusted in me and I let them down.”
Washington spent parts of eight seasons as the Rangers’ manager, guiding the club to back-to-back American League pennants in 2010 and 2011. He compiled a 670-616 record while with Texas before shocking the baseball world with his resignation.
Washington indicated at the time of his departure that he was stepping away to deal with a personal matter. Rangers general manager Jon Daniels hasn’t offered any additional details since, though he said at the time that Washington’s exit was not baseball-related or drug-related.
“Today, I’m at a very low time in my life,” Washington said Thursday. “I’m sorry for breaking the trust that I had with my wife and for disappointing my players, for disappointing my coaches, for disappointing Major League Baseball and for disappointing the Texas Rangers.
“All I ask is for your forgiveness and your understanding. I also ask that you respect our privacy as we go on with our lives. This matter is certainly personal, and we are trying hard to put it behind us.”
Washington had been signed through the 2015 season. Tim Bogar currently is serving as the Rangers’ interim manager.
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