Angels add three coaches to Phil Nevin's staff

The Los Angeles Angels hired three new coaches for the staff of manager Phil Nevin, including new hitting coach Marcus Thames. Phil Plantier was hired as an assistant hitting coach, while Bill Hezel was brought aboard as an assistant pitching coach. Nevin, who was named interim manager after Joe Maddon was fired in June, was retained last month on a one-year deal. Thames will replace Jeremy Reed, who was let go as the team's hitting coach last month. Assistant hitting coach John Mallee also was fired. The club also intends to keep former major league coaches Dom Chiti (bullpen) and Mike Gallego (third base), although both will be reassigned. The Angels have yet to announce a replacement for Gallego. Thames, 45, played 10 seasons in the major leagues with six of those for the Detroit Tigers. He was a career .246 hitter with 115 home runs and 301 RBIs in 640 major league games. Plantier, 53, played eight seasons with five different teams, including four seasons with his hometown San Diego Padres. Neither Thames nor Plantier played in the major leagues with the Angels. Thames arrives after serving as the Miami Marlins' hitting coach in 2022. He was also on the New York Yankees coaching staff with Nevin. Plantier was the Padres' hitting coach from 2012-14. Hezel arrives from the baseball training facility Driveline, based in Seattle. --Field Level Media