PHILADELPHIA -- The Phillies have hired Peter Fatse as their new hitting coach, a source confirmed to MLB.com
The move was first reported by The Athletic. The team has not confirmed the hiring.
Fatse most recently worked for the Red Sox, holding the same position from December 2021 until he -- along with manager Alex Cora and other members of the coaching staff -- was let go by Boston in April of this past season.
Fatse will take the place of veteran hitting coach Kevin Long, after the club announced earlier this month that neither Long nor infield coach Bobby Dickerson would return next season.
Those moves were announced by president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski at his end-of-season press conference on Oct. 16 -- one day after the Phillies removed the interim tag and gave Don Mattingly a two-year contract to be their manager.
As for Fatse, the former utility player was selected in the 24th round of the 2009 Draft by the Brewers. He spent two seasons in the Brewers' organization before pivoting his career when he opened Advanced Performance Academy in 2010.
Fatse later returned to professional baseball when he joined the Twins' organization as their Minor League hitting coordinator prior to the 2019 season. Following that season, he took a job with the Red Sox as their assistant hitting coach -- a role he held for two seasons before being promoted to hitting coach.
Fatse will be tasked with helping a Phillies offense that dropped off significantly last season. After ranking seventh in MLB in runs in 2022 (747), eighth in '23 (796), fifth in '24 (784) and eighth in '25 (778), the Phils ranked 19th (713) in that category this past year.
The lineup will almost certainly look a bit different next season, but the club believed a new voice and a different approach could also provide a boost.