ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers fired Manager Jeff Banister on Friday after the team stumbled to its first consecutive losing records in 10 years after winning AL West titles in each of his first two seasons.

Texas announced the move with 10 games left in Banister’s fourth season, with GM Jon Daniels saying the record was not the reason and that the team needed a “new voice from leadership.”

In a season when the focus turned to the development of their younger players, the Rangers had a 64-88 record heading into Friday night’s game against Seattle to open the final home series of the year. They had lost four in a row and 11 of 15.

Bench coach Don Wakamatsu will serve as interim manager for the remainder of the season, starting with the three-game series against the Mariners. The Rangers will finish the season on the road next week against the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle.

Daniels said he informed the 54-year-old Banister of the decision earlier Friday.

Banister was under contract through next season.

While Daniels reiterated that Banister was the right fit for the position when he was hired, the GM said that has changed nearly four years later.

“We’re in a different spot now, a different spot than when he was hired,” Daniels said.

“This was not an easy decision and comes after a long period of evaluation,” he said. “Once this conclusion was reached, I felt it was appropriate to make the move now.”

Daniels described Banister as emotional when they spoke earlier in the day.

Banister was hired in November 2014 to replace Ron Washington, the manager who led the Rangers to their only World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011 before his abrupt resignation for personal reasons late in the 2014 season. Banister had a 325-313 record in his first managerial job. The Rangers lost to Toronto in the AL Division Series after their AL West titles in both 2015 and 2016.

The Rangers were 88-74 in Banister’s managerial debut in 2015, and matched a team record with an American League-high 95 wins in 2016. They slipped to 78-84 last season, though weren’t eliminated from AL wild-card contention until the final week of the season.

Wakamatsu rejoined the Rangers last November after four seasons as the bench coach in Kansas City. He previously served on the Rangers staff from 2003-07, was a candidate when Washington was hired and is expected to be a candidate again.

CUBS: Shortstop Addison Russell was placed on administrative leave following fresh allegations of domestic violence from his ex-wife.

Last year, Melisa Reidy posted a photo on her Instagram account with a caption suggesting her husband of about 18 months had been unfaithful to her. In another post, a user – described by Melisa as a close friend – made the accusation that Russell had “hit” his wife. The post was later deleted.

Russell denied the allegation and the two divorced.

Late Thursday, a blog post attributed to Reidy contained more detailed allegations, including years of physical and emotional abuse. Less than 12 hours later, Major League Baseball announced Russell had been put on leave under the 2015 domestic violence agreement between management and the players’ union.

Russell can challenge the leave before an arbitrator, and the leave can be extended for additional seven-day periods if the union agrees. He continues to be paid his $3.2 million salary.

DODGERS: Vin Scully made a rare public appearance at Dodger Stadium to help honor fellow Hall of Famer Jaime Jarrin.

The Spanish-language broadcaster was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor, with his name joining Scully and such Dodgers greats as Sandy Koufax, Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella on Friday night.

Scully turns 91 in November.

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