Royals Fire Hitting Coach Terry Bradshaw, Announce Changes to Staff
It's been a troublesome season for the Kansas City Royals' bats. Despite the club having one of its best offensive series of the season over the weekend against the Colorado Rockies, changes are being made with the bigger picture in mind.
Per the club, effective immediately, hitting coach Terry Bradshaw will no longer be with the team.
Per a release from the club on Monday morning, there are several changes that will accompany this move. An adjustment at the Assistant Hitting Coach position is not one of those, as Keoni DeRenne will maintain his role. On the other hand, Alec Zumwalt will "join the big league staff full-time and oversee all hitting efforts." Zumwalt's current title is Senior Director for Player Development and Hitting Performance. He's in his 12th season with the team.
Elsewhere, Special Assignment Hitting Coach Mike Tosar will be in uniform with the Royals' MLB team. Tosar has been in his current role since 2020. On Monday, Royals general manager JJ Picollo and manager Mike Matheny spoke about the shake-up and the potential impact it will have on the team.
Baseball is constantly shifting and we have to continue to self-evaluate to make sure we're giving our players everything they need to be successful at the highest levels of baseball. Our results so far haven't matched what we're capable of, and we all share accountability in that. We look forward to Alec, Keoni and Mike helping us provide the best possible processes for our players.
- JJ Picollo
Changes like this are never easy and I'm grateful to Terry for his friendship and all he's done for me personally and for our team. We can all do better, and that includes me. I'm confident that better days are ahead, and that Alec, Keoni and Mike will help us get there.
- Mike Matheny
The Royals have been one of the worst offensive teams in baseball this season, ranking among the bottom five clubs in the league in batting average, OBP, OPS, runs scored and home runs. Many of their players at the major league level have struggled out of the gate, which sparked the change ahead of Monday night's series opener against the Chicago White Sox. With new faces in charge, Kansas City will look to revive its anemic attack at the plate.
Jordan Foote is the editor-in-chief of Inside the Royals, as well as the deputy editor of Arrowhead Report and a producer for Kansas City Sports Network. Jordan is a Baker University alumnus, earning his degree in Mass Media with a minor in Sports Administration. Follow him on Twitter @footenoted.