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Reds hire Turner Ward from Dodgers as hitting coach

Reds hire Turner Ward from Dodgers as hitting coach
Posted at 3:05 PM, Nov 06, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-06 15:05:22-05

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Reds have hired Turner Ward from the Dodgers as their hitting coach, their second significant addition under new manager David Bell.

Cincinnati also hired Derek Johnson from Milwaukee as its pitching coach. The Dodgers and Brewers played in the NL Championship Series, with Los Angeles advancing to the World Series for the second straight year and losing to Boston.

Ward spent the last three seasons as the Dodgers' hitting coach. They set club records for homers, extra-base hits and slugging percentage each of the last two seasons. The Dodgers led the NL with 235 homers last season.

The Reds finished eighth in the NL in runs and ninth in homers despite playing in one of its most hitter-friendly ballparks.