If the ability to poach good talent from their rivals is any indication of how aggressive the Cincinnati Reds will be in improving their club this winter, well, things certainly are off to quite a start. After previously hiring Derek Johnson away from the Milwaukee Brewers to be their new pitching coach, the Reds announced today that they’ve hired Turner Ward to be their new hitting coach.
Ward, 54, had been the hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2016.
The Dodgers, as that press release notes, have hit the crud out of the ball the last few seasons, leading the league in dingers and placing second in walks during his tenure.