Attracted by Boston's offensive showing this season, the Texas Rangers will interview Red Sox assistant Andy Barkett for their opening at hitting coach, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.
The newspaper said the Pirates will also interview Barkett for the hitting-coach job.
Anthony Iapoce, the Rangers' hitting coach for the last three years, departed this week for the same job with the Chicago Cubs. Rangers general manager Jon Daniels told this season's coaches that he could not not guarantee the new manager would retain them and gave permission to seek jobs elsewhere.
This is Barkett's first season as the assistant to Red Sox hitting coach Tim Hyers.