After getting swept by the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS, the Los Angeles Dodgers have reportedly made the surprising decision to part ways with longtime hitting coach Aaron Bates.
The news was reported on Friday by MLB.com's Sonja Chen.
When the offseason began, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said he didn't expect any major changes to the coaching staff. However, Los Angeles was unable to work out a new contract with Bates.
Bates spent 12 years coaching in the Dodgers organization, including the last four as their co-hitting coach. Their offense flourished during that time, ranking among the best in baseball every year.
Los Angeles' offense sputtered in the postseason, however, averaging just 3.1 runs per game.
While Bates is gone, Robert Van Scoyoc is expected to return as the team's hitting coach for 2027. The team may look to hire a new hitting coach to replace Bates as well.