Tribe hitting coach to sit out rest of 2020

Temporarily without its manager, Cleveland is moving forward without its lead hitting coach, too. Because of a personal health condition and family concerns with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ty Van Burkleo will sit out the remainder of the 2020 season Friday. Van Burkleo came to the decision after the

Temporarily without its manager, Cleveland is moving forward without its lead hitting coach, too. Because of a personal health condition and family concerns with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ty Van Burkleo will sit out the remainder of the 2020 season Friday.

Van Burkleo came to the decision after the Tribe’s first road trip of the regular season, and he had the full support of the Cleveland front office.

“I think when you get in the environment, you see all of the protocols and how wearing that can be, especially on the road,” Tribe president Chris Antonetti said. “If we were just playing home games … it may have been possible for Ty to feel comfortable staying. I can understand why being on the road would heighten Ty’s concerns.”

Van Burkleo’s vacancy on the coaching staff was filled by Alex Eckelman, the organization’s hitting director. Assistant hitting coach Victor Rodriguez assumed the lead hitting coach duties and will work in concert with Eckelman and hitting analytics instructor Justin Toole to divvy up responsibilities.

Even after a 13-run outburst against the Reds on Thursday, Cleveland entered the weekend with the lowest team average (.192) and OPS (.586) in the American League. When a lineup with high expectations struggles to that degree, the hitting coach is often a target a criticism. But Antonetti made it clear that Van Burkleo remains the club’s hitting coach for 2021 and that he will continue to contribute remotely.

With manager Terry Francona absent from the team all week (and through this weekend’s series in Chicago) due to a gastrointestinal issue and bench coach Brad Mills already electing not to participate prior to the season, the Tribe has had to juggle and jumble its coaching staff. Sandy Alomar Jr. has filled in for Francona, coaching assistant Kyle Hudson has filled in for Alomar at first base, third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh was pulled off the field to be Alomar’s temporary bench coach and Tony Mansolino was summoned from the alternate site to fill in for Sarbaugh at third.