Phillies hire Price as pitching coach

The Phillies have hired Bryan Price as pitching coach for the 2020 major league coaching staff, the club announced today.

Price, 57, served as manager of the Cincinnati Reds for parts of five seasons (2014-18), posting a 279-387 (.419) record. Prior to his managerial stint with the Reds, he was the club’s pitching coach for four years (2010-13). In 2013, Cincinnati’s pitching staff ranked first in MLB in WHIP (1.17) and fourth in ERA (3.38) while also leading the National League in strikeouts (1,296). The previous year, the club’s pitching staff posted the fourth-lowest ERA (3.34) in the majors. Additionally, the 2012 Reds bullpen led the majors in saves (56) and relief ERA (2.65). Under Price’s tutelage as pitching coach, the Reds made the postseason three times (2010, 2012-13) in four seasons and right-hander Homer Bailey tossed two no-hitters.

Before his time in Cincinnati, he served as pitching coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks (2006-09) and Seattle Mariners (2000-05). During Price’s stint with the Diamondbacks, Brandon Webb won the NL Cy Young Award and five different pitchers pitched at least 200 innings. While he was with Seattle, the Mariners led the majors in ERA (3.54) and innings pitched (1,465.0) in 2001. Also, in 2009, he spent part of the year working for the Phillies as a minor league pitching consultant.

An eighth-round selection by the California Angels in the June 1984 draft, Price went 31-19 with a 3.74 ERA in 90 minor league games (75 starts).