Buster Olney reports that the Dodgers have hired Turner Ward to be their new hitting coach.
Ward was the Dbacks’ hitting coach for three years but left last month after a disagreement over the contract the club tendered him for 2016. Some have reported that Ward was lowballed by the Dbacks on his renewal. Either way, if he had accepted it, he would’ve had to get permission from the club to interview elsewhere and Arizona would not likely grant permission to the rival Dodgers. So: good call for Ward.
The Diamondbacks ranked second in the NL in runs scored this year with hitters Paul Goldschmidt, A.J. Pollock, and David Peralta all developing fantastically with Ward at the hitting helm.