Coaching Notes: Dickerson, Phillies, Padres, Washington, Bochy, Yankees

The Phillies made a notable addition to their coaching staff today, hiring former Nationals hitting coach Kevin Long to fill the same position. They’re apparently considering making another noteworthy hire, as Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports the Phillies have discussed bringing back Bobby Dickerson as infield coach. Dickerson spent the 2019 campaign as Phils’ infield coach before joining the Padres as Jayce Tingler’s bench coach entering 2020. Dickerson remains under contract with San Diego, but Padres’ staffers were given permission to explore opportunities elsewhere once Tingler was fired last week. The Phils are on the hunt for a new infield instructor after dismissing Juan Castro.

More on coaching/managing situations around the league:

• The Padres have already been tied to Ron Washington after announcing Tingler’s dismissal. Washington is hoping for that opportunity, telling Robert Murray of FanSided he could “get that team over the hump.” Washington was the runner-up in the Friars’ last managerial hiring cycle, and the baseball lifer would indeed seem to be a good fit on the surface for a San Diego team that has gone with two first-time managers (Andy Green and Tingler, respectively) over the past few seasons. Washington managed the Rangers — where his time in the organization overlapped with that of Padres’ president of baseball operations A.J. Preller — from 2007-14. He’s spent the past few seasons coaching with the A’s and Braves, currently serving as Atlanta’s third base coach.
• In addition to Washington, there’s been some speculation about the possibility of Bruce Bochy returning to manage the Padres, as he did from 1995-2006. Speaking with Chris Russo of MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM last week, Bochy said he hadn’t yet been contacted by either of the clubs (San Diego and the Mets) with managerial vacancies. The 66-year-old sounded amenable to considering a return, though, telling Russo he’d “never rule anything out” if contacted. Bochy stopped short of lobbying for an opportunity, telling Russo that pursuing a managerial job is “not something (he’s) thinking about right now,” although he admitted he hasn’t lost his competitive desire over the past couple years. Bochy managed the Giants from 2007-19, leading the club to four postseason appearances and three World Series titles. He stepped away from the manager’s office after the 2019 season, assuming an advisory role in the San Francisco front office, but he’s never formally closed the book on a potential return to the dugout.
• There’s still some uncertainty about the Yankees’ managerial position, as Aaron Boone’s contract is set to expire at the end of this season. Lindsey Adler of the Athletic examines the situation, reporting that the bulk of Boone’s coaching staff (excluding pitching coach Matt Blake and catching coach Tanner Swanson) are also on expiring deals. Boone has had plenty of success over the past few years, leading the team to a 328-218 record and postseason appearances in all four of his seasons at the helm. But the Yankees have had star-studded rosters throughout his tenure and only gotten past the Division Series once in the past four years (losing to the Astros in the 2019 ALCS). Without a World Series or pennant win under his belt, Boone has faced his share of criticism, and there’ll surely be speculation amongst the Yankee fan base about his future until the club announces a formal decision on his status for 2022 and beyond.