Angels News: Pitching Coach Set to Return to Halos for 2023
![Angels News: Pitching Coach Set to Return to Halos for 2023 Angels News: Pitching Coach Set to Return to Halos for 2023](https://www.si.com/.image/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/MTkzNTg4NDk5NDc4MjI2Mzcx/usatsi_18286145_168396005_lowres.jpg)
Matt Wise is officially returning as the Angels pitching coach in 2023.
While the team hired a new hitting coach, Marcus Thames, they felt that Wise was the right man for the job to lead the pitching staff.
Angels announce Marcus Thames will be their next hitting coach.
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) November 7, 2022
Matt Wise will return as pitching coach.
Wise led an Angels starting staff that was actually among one of the better in all of baseball during the 2022 season. Their 3.67 ERA ranked 6th in all of baseball, while their 3.72 FIP ranked 10th. Here is where some of their other numbers ranked in the MLB:
#Angels starting pitchers in 2022, with their MLB rank:
— BTH (@BeyondTheHalo) October 31, 2022
3.67 ERA (6th)
3.72 FIP (10th)
15.3 fWAR (6th)
23.4% K% (11th)
12.1% SwStr% (6th)
27.9% CSW% (11th)
75% Contact% (5th Lowest)
Wise did a tremendous job helping guys like Patrick Sandoval have career years in 2022, and will get another chance at improving the team's pitching staff. However, he is getting some help.
The team also announced that they hired Bill Hezel as an assistant pitching coach. Hezel has been the Director of Pitching at Driveline, the "premier data-driven baseball player development organization in the world." Sandoval and Shohei Ohtani have trained there in the past.
Here are the rest of the coaching staff changes:
News: Angels hire Marcus Thames as the new hitting coach, Phil Plantier as the new assistant hitting coach, Bill Hezel as a man assistant pitching coach.
— Sarah Valenzuela (@Sarah_IsabelVee) November 7, 2022
Mike Gallego, Dom Chiti and Paul Sorrento will be reassigned within the Angels organizations.
The Angels are building a strong coaching staff around Phil Nevin. It'll now be up to GM Perry Minasian and the front office to put the right players on the field to get this team back to the postseason.