As I was increasingly hoping, the Cubs will stay in-house for their new bench coach, replacing now-Nationals-manager Dave Martinez.
Per Ken Rosenthal, first base coach Brandon Hyde is getting the bump:
Brandon Hyde will be #Cubs’ new bench coach, sources tell The Athletic. #Mets had offered him bench-coach job. #Cubs stepped up to keep him.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 9, 2017
Hyde came to the Cubs originally in 2014 as the bench coach for Rick Renteria. He had previously been in that role, as well as several others, with the Marlins. When Joe Maddon came in, he kept Hyde in the fold, albeit in a different role, with Martinez taking over as bench coach. Clearly, Hyde’s is a valued voice.
Good on the Cubs for preserving a little continuity and institutional knowledge, with so much of the rest of the coaching staff turning over. They will, though, have to bring in a new first base coach to replace Hyde.
So, as things stand on the coaching front, here are the changes: Hyde is the new bench coach. Jim Hickey is expected to be the new pitching coach. Chili Davis is the new hitting coach. Brian Butterfield is the new third base coach. Andy Haines is the new assistant hitting coach.
We will await official word on Hyde, the new first base coach, and on Hickey (like I mentioned this morning in the Bullets), but I expect it’s coming soon.