The Philadelphia Phillies are not messing around this offseason, officially bringing in Peter Fatse as their new hitting coach as part of a major staff overhaul under manager Don Mattingly. This move comes after the team fired Kevin Long, who had been on staff since 2022, right after the Phillies got bounced from the MLB playoffs by the Atlanta Braves in the wild-card round. It is clear they are looking for a serious change at the plate.
The Batting Numbers Don’t Lie: Offense Needed a Jolt
You do not fire a hitting coach right after a playoff exit without some serious performance issues, and the Phillies definitely had them. Their team batting average of .240 ranked them a dismal 12th in the National League, which slid them all the way down to 21st across all of MLB. Their OPS numbers were not much better, hitting 11th in the NL and 22nd overall. When those numbers are flashing across the league, you know something is off.
It was not just the team numbers, either. A bunch of their big-name guys posted some career-low stats, which is never a good sign. Trea Turner, a guy you expect to rake, ended up with a .242 average and a .675 OPS. J.T. Realmuto’s bat was quiet at .205 with a .615 OPS, and Alec Bohm was not far behind at .249 with a .698 OPS. And then there’s Adolis Garcia, who was having a career-worst season, slashing .195/.270/.329, before a lat muscle tear put him on the shelf for good. These are veteran guys, and they just were not getting it done. The team clearly needed someone to come in and light a fire under those bats.
Fatse’s Red Sox History Is Exactly What Philly Needs
So, who is Peter Fatse, and why are the Phillies banking on him? This guy has a serious track record that screams “offensive improvement.” Before joining the Phillies, Fatse spent most of the last season as a hitting consultant for the Tampa Bay Rays’ research and development group. But his real shining moment was with the Boston Red Sox. He was an assistant hitting coach there before getting promoted to hitting coach in 2022. During his four full seasons in that role, the Red Sox were consistently among the league’s elite, finishing in MLB’s top 10 in both team batting average and OPS. Yeah, you read that right: *top 10*. That is a huge stat when you consider the Phillies were barely scraping past the bottom third of the league.
He did get fired from the Red Sox when manager Alex Cora was dismissed in late April, but that does not erase his impact on their offense. Bringing in a guy who can consistently get an entire lineup performing at a top-tier level is a massive play, especially when your team is coming off numbers like Philadelphia’s.
Mattingly’s New Era and Coaching Shake-Up Continues
Fatse is actually the second big addition to Mattingly’s staff as they reshape the team. Former New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza also joined the club, taking over as the third-base coach, replacing Anthony Contreras, and as infield coach, in place of the fired Bobby Dickerson. This is all happening under Don Mattingly himself, who got a two-year contract from president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski after stepping in as interim skipper when Thomson was fired back in April and then getting the full-time gig.
It feels like a fresh slate, a real effort to shake things up and get this team back on track after a disappointing end to their season. With Mattingly locked in and two new, high-profile coaches on board, the Phillies are clearly laying the groundwork for what they hope will be a much stronger showing next season. You gotta wonder if Fatse’s magic touch can bring those top-10 offensive numbers to Philadelphia. The stakes are high for these new coaches; all eyes will be on how the Phillies’ bats perform when they step up to the plate next year.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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