Report: Toronto Blue Jays lose assistant hitting coach to San Francisco Giants
Photo credit: David Zalubowski - AP Photo
Toronto Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins will now have two coaching vacancies to fill.
Last week it was announced that Don Mattingly was stepping down as bench coach for the Toronto Blue Jays, shortly after reaching his first World Series.
Now, a second member of the staff is also leaving to pursue other opportunities.
Hunter Mense, who has been with the big league club as assistant hitting coach since 2022, is apparently leaving his post to take on the lead hitting coach position with the San Francisco Giants.
The move will reunite Mense with new San Francisco skipper Tony Vitello; whom Mense and Max Scherzer played under while at the University of Missouri.
Now that Mense has gone to San Francisco, this may increase Scherzer's chances of signing there too.
The news came via Mitch Bannon a Blue Jays reporter for the New York Times.
Some #BlueJays news: Jays are losing assistant hitting coach Hunter Mense, per multiple sources. He's taking a hitting coach job with the SF Giants, reuniting with Tony Vitello.
Mense had been on the Jays' big league staff since 2022. Leaves another hole on their staff
Mense had been on the Jays' big league staff since 2022. Leaves another hole on their staff
Mense's departure marks the 2nd straight offseason that the Blue Jays have lost at least one member of their hitting department.
Last year, the Blue Jays fired hitting coach Guillermo Martinez and lost assistant Matt Hague to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The good news for Blue Jays fans is that David Popkins, the man who turned around this team's offence, isn't going anywhere.
Blue Jays could fill jobs internally
Along with Popkins, the Blue Jays also still have assistant hitting coach Lou Ianotti and, much like the departure of Mattingly, Mense's role could easily filled internally or absorbed into another position.
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