The Reds introduced immediately that Chris Valaika has been employed as director of hitting and main league hitting coach. He had beforehand been with the Guardians as that membership’s hitting coach however will now transfer to the opposite facet of Ohio.
Valaika, 39, was initially a third-round draft choose of the Reds again in 2006. He performed within the majors from 2010 to 2014, for the Reds, Marlins and Cubs, after which pivoted to teaching after his enjoying days. He began within the minor league system of the Cubs, finally working his approach as much as the key league workers with that membership. He was employed by the Guardians going into 2022, working beneath then-manager Terry Francona.
Francona stepped away after 2023 to give attention to his well being, with Stephen Vogt taking up as Cleveland’s skipper. Francona is able to return to a managerial position, because it was reported earlier this month than he’ll be main the Reds beginning with the 2025 season, changing David Bell.
Just a few days after Francona’s hiring turned public, it was reported that Cincinnati was transferring on from hitting coach Joel McKeithan in addition to assistant hitting coaches Terry Bradshaw and Tim LaMonte. A kind of positions has now been stuffed with a well-known face for Francona.
In 2022, the Guardians hit .254/.316/.383 for a wRC+ of 100. That signifies they had been precisely league common, although their 18.2% strikeout price was the bottom within the majors by a notable margin, with the Astros second at 19.5%. The Cleveland offense dipped a bit in 2023, with a .250/.313/.381 line and 91 wRC+, however once more with the most effective strikeout price within the league. Right here in 2024, they dropped to fifth-lowest when it comes to strikeout price however added some extra energy, attending to a .238/.307/.395 line and 100 wRC+ as they pushed so far as the ALCS.
It’s at all times tough to separate the contributions of a coach from the performances of the gamers on the group, however Francona presumably had a superb relationship with Valaika throughout their two years collectively, as he has now plucked him away and introduced him to Cincinnati.
