Indians to replace Brad Mills as bench coach

Brad Mills is being reassigned to another role within the Indians organization and won’t return as the club’s bench coach in 2021, president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti announced on Friday.  Mills has been the bench coach since 2014, and a member of Cleveland’s coaching staff since 2012.

Mills opted out of participating in the 2020 season, and with manager Terry Francona also missing much of the season due to health issues, first base coach Sandy Alomar took over the acting manager role, while third base coach Mike Sarbaugh assumed bench coach duties.  With Francona and the rest of the Tribe’s coaching staff expected to return next season, the obvious move might be to move Alomar into the bench coach job, but it remains to be seen how the club will address the vacancy.

Perhaps best known for managing the Astros from 2010-12, Mills has long been a fixture on Francona’s coaching staffs.  He worked as the bench coach under Francona with the Red Sox from 2004-09, and also as a first base coach when Francona managed the Phillies from 1997-2000.