The Los Angeles Dodgers and hitting coach Aaron Bates are parting ways, according to multiple reports Friday.

Tim Dierkes of MLBTradeRumors.com, who was first to report the news, posted on Twitter/X that Bates was offered a multi-year contract by the Dodgers but could not agree on the terms of the deal.

Bates, 42, had spent the last 12 years in the organization and the last four as hitting coach.

The timing is curious on a couple fronts.

For all their offensive shortcomings in a sluggish postseason, the Dodgers were fourth in runs (801) and RBIs (756), and second in OPS (.762) during the regular season. Dodger hitters had an even better OPS (.779) with runners in scoring position, suggesting they raised their game in clutch situations.

On Thursday, the Dodgers were named one of the four finalists in the National League Offensive Team of the Year category, a recent addition to the Silver Slugger Awards portfolio.

Against this backdrop, keeping both hitting coaches (Bates and Robert Van Scoyoc) would be an understandably high priority for the Dodgers. President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman even said at his season-ending press conference in October that he expected the team's entire coaching staff to remain intact.

What also makes the timing of this news curious is the impending lockout that will prevent team personnel from contacting players beginning Dec. 1.

Assuming Bates does not join another MLB team between now and then, Bates will be in the unique position of having the entire offseason plan for every Dodgers hitter and the ability to check in with them at will.

Bates was the Dodgers' assistant hitting coach under Van Scoyoc from 2019-22. In addition to his responsibilities with the major league club, Bates also served as the director of hitting for the Dodgers' minor league system during that time.

Bates began his coaching career in 2015 as the hitting coach for the Dodgers' Arizona League affiliate. He held the same position for Single-A Great Lakes in 2016 and with High-A Rancho Cucamonga in 2017. In 2018, Bates served as assistant hitting coordinator for the Dodgers' minor league system.

A New York native, Bates was a third-round draft pick by the Boston Red Sox in 2006. He played five MLB games for the Red Sox in 2009, and another 735 games in the minors for four different organizations from 2006-14.

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