Dodgers News: Josh Bard Identified as Option for Bullpen Coach

The Dodgers are in need of a new bullpen coach after the likely promotion of Mark Prior to pitching coach and are considering bringing back an old friend.

Josh Bard, who held the job from 2016-17, is being considered to re-claim the job in 2020, according to Joel Sherman of MLB Network.

Josh Bard, who just left as #Yankees bench coach, is being considered by the #Dodgers to be their bullpen coach.

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) November 12, 2019

Bard was signed as a player by the Dodgers in December 2011 and released in March 2012. He then signed with their triple-A team and retired after the season.

After retiring, he decided to stay with the Dodgers and was hired in a front office role as a special assistant to the general manager in 2013. After that, he started working as a pro scout for the Dodgers in 2014 until he took over as the bullpen coach in 2016.

In 2017, Dodgers relievers set a National League record with 637K and led all NL bullpens in ERA (3.38), opponents’ batting average (.222) and K/9.0IP ratio (10.24)… in 2016, Los Angeles-NL relievers led the Majors with 590.2IP, 633K and 607 total appearances, while ranking among Major League leaders in ERA (second, 3.35), opponents’ batting average (second, .221) and WHIP (second, 1.16)

In 2018, the New York Yankees hired Bard as their bench coach for two seasons. Last summer, Bard told the Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman that he wanted to move back to the West Coast to be closer to his family in Colorado.