The Reds announced today that Chris Valaika has been hired as director of hitting and major league hitting coach. He had previously been with the Guardians as that club’s hitting coach but will now move to the other side of Ohio.
Valaika, 39, was originally a third-round draft pick of the Reds back in 2006. He played in the majors from 2010 to 2014, for the Reds, Marlins and Cubs, and then pivoted to coaching after his playing days. He started in the minor league system of the Cubs, eventually working his way up to the major league staff with that club. He was hired by the Guardians going into 2022, working under then-manager Terry Francona.
Francona stepped away after 2023 to focus on his health, with Stephen Vogt taking over as Cleveland’s skipper. Francona is ready to return to a managerial role, as it was reported earlier this month than he’ll be leading the Reds starting with the 2025 season, replacing David Bell.
A few days after Francona’s hiring became public, it was reported that Cincinnati was moving on from hitting coach Joel McKeithan as well as assistant hitting coaches Terry Bradshaw and Tim LaMonte. One of those positions has now been filled with a familiar face for Francona.
In 2022, the Guardians hit .254/.316/.383 for a wRC+ of 100. That indicates they were exactly league average, though their 18.2% strikeout rate was the lowest in the majors by a notable margin, with the Astros second at 19.5%. The Cleveland offense dipped a bit in 2023, with a .250/.313/.381 line and 91 wRC+, but again with the best strikeout rate in the league. Here in 2024, they dropped to fifth-lowest in terms of strikeout rate but added some more power, getting to a .238/.307/.395 line and 100 wRC+ as they pushed as far as the ALCS.
It’s always difficult to separate the contributions of a coach from the performances of the players on the team, but Francona presumably had a good relationship with Valaika during their two years together, as he has now plucked him away and brought him to Cincinnati.
Non Roster Invitee
Old boys network.
ChasingTime
Yep. Sad they couldn’t see that a DEI hire was their only chance of success.
TerryTurnbuckle
Francona took too much time off. The game has changed and he isn’t prepared for this new version of baseball that is being played. Doubt Valaika will be able to help translate all the Reds players swaggy ways to Francona. It’s not out of the question that Valaika takes over the manager job before the end of the season
cr4
Horrible take. They kept David bell for as a long as they did Terrys got 3 years regardless of result
Rsox
Because ONE season was a lifetime ago…
TerryTurnbuckle
Pitch clock has changed from 20 seconds to 18 seconds with runners on and the runners lane has been widened. He’s never managed with those changes. Good luck, but that’s not something you just learn on the fly. He’s got a lot of homework to do and not sure he’ll catch up
Rsox
Ok…
ChasingTime
No need to try.
I hear they didn’t have gloves are bats in 2023. It’s a magical world, now.
Riffaxe
He was off for 1 season lol.
mbauza25
What a ass hole
schellis 2
It was one year one year after being considered one of the best in the game. You are making it sound like the reds hired Lou piniella at 81 years old and 15 years removed from managing or like the white sox did with larussa. Francona will be fine. It’s not like the changes have been massive like they attached a bungie cord to the ball or steroid injections are mandatory now
astick
Bruh. One year. That’s all. lol.
Armaments216
The Reds tried to hire Skip Schumaker but word is he was scared off by the angry ghost of Pete Rose rumbling down the widened runners lane in GABP.
RunDMC
ATL announced they’ve hired Tim Hyers from TEX as their hitting coach. Already a part of 2 WS winners as hitting coach. Not bad.
This one belongs to the Reds
If he cuts down on the free swingers and ups the contact rate, he will do a lot more than the last bunch.
He did that in Cleveland.
Acoss1331
Cleveland hitters are great contact hitters and work counts. If he can get the Reds hitters to do something similar, they’ll be tough outs at the plate. Look at Kwan from the Guardians, pesky plate appearances are his MO.
Burgeezy
Isn’t this a lateral move? So Cleveland let him dip?