In 2021, the Milwaukee Brewers won first place in the NL Central, despite having the 19th best wOBA and the 23rd best wRC+ in baseball. They were eliminated by the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS in four games, scoring six runs total and being shut out in two of the losses. After the season, the Brewers fired their hitting coach, Andy Haines.
The Pittsburgh Pirates finished the 2021 season with one of the worst records in baseball at 61-101. They finished 28th in wOBA and 29th in wRC+. About one month after Haines was let go by Milwaukee, the Pirates hired him as their new hitting coach.