The Rangers have extended manager Jeff Banister's contract.
The Rangers have extended manager Jeff Banister's contract. (USATSI)

The Rangers have extended the contract of manager Jeff Banister through the 2018 season, the team announced. Banister had been signed through 2017 with a club option for 2018. The team picked up the option and added another club option for 2019.

“Jeff set the tone from day one in spring training in 2015 and carried that message throughout the season,” said GM Jon Daniels in a statement. “Through the team’s early season struggles, he was able to keep everyone focused and that led to a memorable finish. We are proud to have him managing the Texas Rangers.”

Banister, 51, was named the 2015 AL Manager of the Year after leading the Rangers to an 88-74 record and winning the AL West in the final weekend of the season. This is Banister's first big league managerial position and 2015 was his first year on the job.

As a player, Banister is a career 1.000 hitter. He singled in his only big league at-bat with the 1991 Pirates. Prior to joining Texas, Banister had been a bench coach with Pittsburgh.