Dodgers Part Ways With Co-Hitting Coach Aaron Bates
Los Angeles must fill its hitting staff vacancy this winter after the team and Bates could not agree on a new multi-year contract.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Baseball
The Los Angeles Dodgers have parted ways with co-hitting coach Aaron Bates, who spent 12 years in the organization. Bates and the team failed to reach agreement on a new multi-year contract.
Why it matters
The move opens a key coaching vacancy for a club that has won back-to-back World Series championships in 2024 and 2025. Filling the spot will shape the hitting approach for the team's next season.
Bates, 42, was promoted to big-league assistant hitting coach in 2019 and co-hitting coach before the 2023 season, following a 12-year run in the organization. The reported figures do not specify his offensive results during that stretch, and the team has not disclosed the terms of the failed contract talks.
The players
Aaron Bates
Aaron Bates is a 42-year-old hitting coach who spent 12 years in the Dodgers organization and rose to co-hitting coach.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball franchise that won back-to-back World Series championships in 2024 and 2025.
Andrew Friedman
Andrew Friedman is the Dodgers president of baseball operations who oversees the team's front office and roster decisions.
The details
The Dodgers and Bates could not reach agreement on a new multi-year deal, ending his time as co-hitting coach alongside Robert Van Scoyoc. Andrew Friedman said last month the team was still working through staff matters.
Timeline
2019: Bates promoted to big-league assistant hitting coach.
Before the 2023 season: Bates promoted to co-hitting coach.
2024 and 2025: Dodgers win back-to-back World Series championships.
This offseason (winter 2026-27): Dodgers fill the hitting staff vacancy.
Season Trajectory
The departure comes after the Dodgers won back-to-back World Series titles in 2024 and 2025, putting pressure on the front office to maintain the same hitting approach. Replacing a co-hitting coach during a championship window shapes how the club defends its position among the league's top contenders.
The hitting staff change means the Dodgers will need a new voice for their offensive approach as the roster is set for the coming season. Fantasy managers tracking Dodgers hitters should watch for early signs of how the new staff shapes performance.
The takeaway
Staff turnover is a normal part of contending teams' offseasons, and a coaching change can be managed through a clear plan for the vacancy. Following announcements from the Dodgers front office will show how the hitting group takes shape.
Further reading
Follow the latest in Los Angeles Baseball coverage as the Dodgers search for a new hitting coach.
