The Pirates are ready to take their offense to the next level with the hiring of a former Bucco slugger.
The 2024 MLB season saw the Pirates offense rank in the bottom half of the league, with just 665 runs scored placing 24th and an overall team OPS of .672 putting the Buccos at 27th in baseball. The overall poor showing saw hitting coach Andy Haines get the boot when the season ended, with GM Ben Cherington saying he was looking for a coach that would best unite the team.
“We’re looking for someone who can add to those areas, but also be a complement to our group,” Cherington said. “Serve all that through the group of people.”
Today sources reported that former player, Matt Hague, will be the incumbent hitting coach for Pittsburgh.
The Pirates have hired Matt Hague as their new Hitting Coach. Per @ScottyMitchTSN
What are your thoughts on this hire? pic.twitter.com/h92ZSXvqxH
— Kody Duncan (@KodyDuncanPGH) November 13, 2024
Hague played his senior season of college with the Oklahoma State Cowboys, and was then drafted by the Pirates in the ninth round of the 2008 MLB Draft. “The Hit Collector” known for his selectiveness at the plate, made his major league debut in 2012 after impressing in Spring Training. After 2014 Hague was picked up on waivers by Toronto, before bouncing to the Hanshin Tigers of the NPB, and eventually coming back to the states on minor league deals with the Twins, Mariners, and Nationals.
In 2020, Hague was hired on as a hitting coach with the Blue Jays organization, where in 2024 he served as assistant hitting coach in Toronto. The Blue Jays did not have a particularly great season offensively, but players were complimentary of Hague and the work he had put in during the year.
Cherington and manager Derek Shelton are sticking to their mold of hiring coaches who were former players, and with Hague they are getting someone who has proven to make good decisions at the plate and communicate well with teammates from his days as a first baseman with the Pirates, commanding the infield.
Henry Davis after 15 minutes in the cage with Matt Hague:pic.twitter.com/h82XgEMeCR
— Nick Cammuso (@npc210) November 13, 2024
The task at hand is no easy one, with key players like Ke’Bryan Hayes, Jack Suwinski, and Henry Davis all struggling to find their identity in the lineup this past season. Oneil Cruz started off slow but did make good strides towards the end of the year finishing with a 20-20 season, and of course Bryan Reynolds was back to All-Star form. Even Isiah Kiner-Falefa was looking like an All-Star during the first half of the season with the Blue Jays before falling to injury.
The team has not formally announced the hiring at this time.