It wouldn’t be October without the Cubs making some kind of change to their hitting coach situation.
Although it now sounds like hitting coach Anthony Iapoce is safe for another year, The Athletic reports that assistant hitting coach Termel Sledge is out:
After another year of offensive issues, the Cubs are once again making a change to their coaching staff. Sources confirmed that assistant hitting coach Terrmel Sledge is out. https://t.co/oZFvvw0po9
— Sahadev Sharma (@sahadevsharma) October 23, 2020
Sledge just finished his second year as the assistant hitting coach with Iapoce, and his two-year contract is up. The Cubs won’t be retaining him, so call it a separation or a firing or whatever you want. Whatever the name, it’s just the latest in a long, long, long line of hitting coach changes for a group of hitters that has largely been the same for years. You do that math.
The Cubs will look to pair a new coach with Iapoce, and maybe that combination will be the one to finally unlock the next, consistent level for the same group of hitters. (Lulz.)