Report: D-backs hitting coach Turner Ward will not return
Nov 10, 2015, 6:58 PM | Updated: 10:10 pm
The Arizona Diamondbacks coaching staff continues to evolve this offseason.
Following third base coach Andy Green’s departure to take the Padres’ managerial opening and Matt Williams returning to Arizona to take his place, it appears D-backs hitting coach Turner Ward has decided to leave the team, according to a report from USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
Diamondbacks reporter Steve Gilbert confirmed the news.
Ward joined the D-backs staff in 2013 as an assistant hitting coach following a stint with the team’s Double-A club, the Mobile Bay Bears.
Multiple reports, including Nightengale and The Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro, indicate that former slugger Mark McGwire could be in the running to replace Ward. McGwire played under D-backs chief baseball officer Tony La Russa when the latter was manager of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Also among the staff changes, Arizona declined to retain pitching coach Mike Harkey this offseason and replaced him with Mike Butcher. The team is also replacing bullpen coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. and expected to name Garvin Alston his replacement on Wednesday, per Gilbert.
