Pirates cut ties with hitting coach and bullpen coach, report says
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Pittsburgh Pirates have parted ways with their bullpen coach and hitting coach, according to a report.
KDKA's news partners at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette are reporting that the team has cut ties with hitting coach Andy Haines and bullpen coach Justin Meccage.
Haines was with the organization for three years while Meccage coached with the Pirates for longer than a decade.
During the three years with Haines as the hitting coach, the Pirates were in the bottom third in the MLB in batting average and the top third in strikeouts.
Meccage served in a number of roles with the team since 2011 and in his five season as bullpen coach, the Pirates relievers had a combined ERA of 4.49, the fourth worst in the MLB.
During those five years, the team only cracked the top 20 in teamwide ERA be relivers one time.
The organizational changes come following another disappointing season for the Pirates, who finished the season with a 76-86 record, the eighth worst in all of baseball.
The team hasn't had a winning season since 2018 and haven't made it to the postseason since 2015.