The Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday fired hitting coach Turner Ward after just one season.
The Reds were a disappointment on offense in 2018, finishing 12th in the National League in runs scored (701), OPS (.736) and on-base percentage (.315) and 10th in slugging percentage (.422).
“Speaking for the organization, I want to thank Turner for the work he put in on our behalf,” Reds president of baseball operations Dick Williams said. “As we reflected on this season, it became clear that we lacked the alignment we were seeking with our offensive approach.”
The 54-year-old Ward had joined the Reds in 2018 after working as the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ hitting coach the previous three seasons.
“Turner is a friend. He worked extremely hard and put in a lot of time and effort working with our hitters. He built relationships here, and he will be missed,” manager David Bell said, according to MLB.com.
Bell said that assistant hitting coach Donnie Ecker will remain on his staff. The team will begin searching for Ward’s replacement, as well as a replacement for minor league hitting coordinator Milt Thompson, who also was not retained.
“We’re putting the process in place of getting all of that working together and aligned,” Bell said, according to MLB.com. “That is something our organization has really identified as important to us. We need it. Of course, players are in a different point in their development between the major leagues and minor leagues. But it just all has to work together.”
The Reds (75-87) finished fourth in the National League Central this season.