Pedro Guerrero has returned to the Dodgers’ major league coaching staff as their new hitting coach, taking over from Aaron Bates. The announcement came alongside news that Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto earned significant recognition in this year’s MLB award voting, reflecting a week of notable developments across baseball.
Guerrero, 58, brings nearly a decade of major league coaching experience to Los Angeles. Before this appointment, he spent nine years as a hitting coach in the majors and worked within the Dodgers’ minor league system as both player and coach. His familiarity with the Dodgers’ culture and approach was a factor in his hiring, according to Miami Marlins manager Clayton McCullough, who previously worked under the Dodgers organization.
“(He can) meet guys where they are,” McCullough told Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. “He is a good listener. That’s where he really does his best work. Some of those conversations, either in the cage during the day, with just trying to have a guy be in the best spot mentally that he can be for that given day. Then in the game, not letting some of the anxiety or some of the stress (pile up) for a player, he helps alleviate a lot of that.”
Guerrero’s return emphasizes the Dodgers’ continuing efforts to strengthen their hitting approach after Bates’ departure. The team has been exploring ways to adjust their offensive strategies, with analysts like Sam Miller of Pebble Hunting discussing how the Dodgers have been beatable in various ways despite their strengths.
Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani finished second in the National League MVP voting, climbing the all-time award share leaderboard. His performance this year has drawn widespread acclaim, placing him just behind the winner in a highly competitive field. Yamamoto, another Japanese player, was voted fourth for the NL Cy Young Award, marking recognition for his pitching excellence over the season.
Both Ohtani and Yamamoto’s placements in these prestigious award categories underline the increasingly significant impact of international players in Major League Baseball. Their achievements contribute to a broader narrative of global talent rising within the league.
The week also saw news unrelated to the Dodgers but relevant to MLB’s shifting personnel landscape. Former Dodgers pitcher Evan Phillips secured a three-year, $35 million contract with the Atlanta Braves bullpen, surpassing several projections and adding depth to a strong Braves pitching staff.
These developments illustrate the ongoing changes within MLB’s coaching and player ranks ahead of the postseason. The Dodgers have not made public additional details about Guerrero’s specific responsibilities or how he will integrate with the current coaching staff beyond replacing Bates.
The club’s decision to return to a familiar figure like Guerrero reflects a preference for experience and continuity as they prepare for the challenges ahead. Guerrero’s ability to ease players’ mental pressures during games and practice could prove valuable as the Dodgers aim to refine their offense in the postseason environment.
No further announcements have been made about additional coaching staff changes or player movements involving the Dodgers at this time.
According to Yahoo Sports.
