The Dodgers are moving on from hitting coach Aaron Bates after the two sides were unable to come to an agreement on a new deal, a notable shake-up that comes on the heels of a rough finish to the 2026 season.
Can confirm the Dodgers are parting ways with hitting coach Aaron Bates after the two sides were unable to come to an agreement on a new deal. First on it @timdierkes
- Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) November 6, 2026
The change follows Los Angeles’ sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series, a loss that shut down the club’s bid for three straight World Series titles. The Dodgers had championship expectations going into October, but their offense never found its footing when the pressure was highest.
One of the clearest numbers from the NLCS tells the story: the Dodgers went just 5-for-43 with runners in scoring position against Milwaukee. That kind of missed opportunity became a defining part of the series as the Brewers closed out the four-game sweep.
The problems weren’t limited to that matchup, either. Los Angeles’ bats had also gone cold late in the regular season, raising concerns about whether the lineup could keep producing against top-level pitching.
In the end, Bates became the obvious name to move on from. When an offense sputters for an extended stretch and then disappears in the postseason, the hitting coach is often the first person under the microscope, even if the blame can’t land on one person alone.
The Dodgers still have plenty of established hitters, and the responsibility for execution belongs to the players as well. But the organization is clearly looking for a reset after a postseason that fell far short of its goal.
Bates’ departure doesn’t fix the offense by itself, but it does open the door for a new voice and a different approach. After coming up short of a historic three-peat, Los Angeles now heads into the 2027 season with one of its first major changes already in place.
In Other News...
Luis Lara Just Added An Intriguing New Chapter To His Brewers Rise
Luis Lara is adding another layer to a breakthrough year. After a rookie MLB season that ended with a World Series championship, the Brewers outfielder is set to spend part of his offseason back home in Venezuela, where he announced plans to play winter ball for Tiburones de La Guaira. The news surfaced through a Venezuelan outlet and a video from a hometown parade, a fittingly local way for a player on the rise to make his next move public.
For Milwaukee, it is another reminder that Laras development is still very much in motion. Winter league baseball can be a useful bridge for a young player coming off his first big league season, and this will be his first time taking that route. The Brewers will be watching closely to see how he handles the extra workload and the added spotlight, even if the full shape of his offseason chapter is still to come. [Read more 🡒]
Diamondbacks First Base Picture Could Shape A Surprising Free Agent Fit
Jake Bauers winter has already taken an interesting turn after the Brewers extended him a qualifying offer, leaving Milwaukee with a decision point and Bauers with a chance to test the market for a longer-term payday. For the Brewers, the question is whether to keep a useful piece in the fold on a one-year arrangement or watch him move on in search of the kind of multi-year security that free agency can provide.
Arizona has emerged as a club to watch in that conversation, especially if its infield plans shift in a way that opens first base. The Diamondbacks roster construction could create a fit for a left-handed bat like Bauers, but for now it remains a speculative path rather than a completed move, with plenty of dominoes still needing to fall before anything becomes real. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers May Have Another First Base Answer Emerging Fast
The Brewers first-base picture is already starting to take shape for the long view, even with a few moving parts still ahead. Jake Bauers status for 2027 will matter when the club starts lining up its next everyday answer, and Andrew Vaughn could remain part of the discussion if Bauers is back. From there, Milwaukee may simply be looking for the right complementary piece, with the handedness of that addition depending on how the roster settles.
Behind that immediate conversation, there is at least one prospect pushing into the picture. Eric Bitonti has shown real power in the minors and again in the Arizona Fall League, giving the Brewers another corner-infield name to track as they map out the next few seasons. He is not expected to arrive right away, but his development adds another layer to a position group that could look very different by the time he is ready for the majors. [Read more 🡒]