Cubs fire hitting coach Chili Davis

The Chicago Cubs today announced that hitting coach Chili Davis will not return to the team in 2019. Davis had only been with the Cubs for one season.

Davis was hired after the 2017 season when several coaches left the team, voluntarily or otherwise, including hitting coach John Mallee. Davis had previously served as the hitting coach for the Athletics and the Red Sox. But despite the Cubs leading the National League in batting average, the Cubs took a major step back in slugging percentage in 2018. In addition, the Cubs offense went south in the second half of the season. In particular, the Cubs were only able to score two runs in 22 innings against the Brewers and the Rockies in game 163 and the Wild Card game.

The Cubs offense was also very inconsistent in 2018. While the team was overall above-average in runs scored, the Cubs were limited to zero or one run 40 times in 2018, second only to the Orioles in that statistic of futility.

There is no word yet on any possible replacement for Davis in 2019.