Angels News: Marcus Thames Hired as New Hitting Coach

He was coaching with the Miami Marlins this past season.

The Angels have hired a new hitting coach, much to the delight of fans everywhere.

Marcus Thames will take over as the team's hitting coach in 2023, after spending one season as the hitting coach of the Miami Marlins. Before that, Thames had been a coach in the Yankees organization since 2013. From 2018-2021, he was New York's hitting coach.

Angels announce Marcus Thames will be their next hitting coach.

Matt Wise will return as pitching coach.

— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) November 7, 2022

Thames will take over an Angels lineup that ranked among the league's worst in 2022. They ranked 24th in the league with a .233 batting average. They ranked 25th in the league with 623 runs. They also struck out more than any other team in baseball with 1,539 strikeouts. The next highest was the Atlanta Braves at 1,498.

So Thames will have his work cut out for him, but he also has a ton of great pieces to work with.

Mike Trout was among the league leaders with 40 home runs in 2022, while Shohei Ohtani was one of the top hitters in baseball with his 34 home runs and 95 RBIs. The Angels also saw breakout seasons from guys like Taylor Ward and Luis Rengifo, and should have a strong lineup with the returns of All-Stars Anthony Rendon and Jared Walsh.

The Angels also hired a new assistant hitting coach, Phil Plantier, who was a player in the 90s, and a coach with the Padres from 2012-2014. Since, he's bounced around the minor leagues as a coach. 

Thames also spent 10 years in the league as a player, including one in Los Angeles, as a member of the crosstown rival Dodgers.