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Cubs To Hire Darren Holmes As Bullpen Coach

By Anthony Franco | December 19, 2023 at 7:47pm CDT

The Cubs are hiring Darren Holmes as bullpen coach and Mark Strittmatter to serve as catching coach, reports Sahadev Sharma of the Athletic. Those are expected to be the final two hires for Craig Counsell’s first staff in the Windy City.

Holmes joins the organization after four years in Baltimore. The Orioles initially hired him to work as bullpen coach going into the 2020 season. A winter later, he was promoted to assistant pitching coach. Holmes held that role under Chris Holt for three seasons before Baltimore changed its pitching voices this past October. Holt was moved back into an overhead role with the organization, while Holmes departed entirely.

The 57-year-old Holmes pitched parts of 13 seasons as a big league reliever. Before his time in Baltimore, he had spent five seasons as the bullpen coach in Colorado. He’ll bring plenty of experience to a relief corps led by Adbert Alzolay, Julian Merryweather and Mark Leiter Jr. Chicago relievers finished 13th in ERA (3.85) last season. They were fourth in strikeout rate (26%) but issued walks at an 11% clip that was lower only than the 12% mark posted by a rebuilding A’s club.

Strittmatter, 54, has worked with catchers in the Rockies organization for the better part of two decades. He had some experience on a big league staff before serving as minor league catching coordinator since 2013. Strittmatter briefly reached the majors as a player in 1998.

Sharma notes that the Cubs are expected to soon announce the entirety of the coaching staff. Holmes and Strittmatter will round out a group of previously-reported hirings including Ryan Flaherty as bench coach, returnee Dustin Kelly (hitting coach) and new addition John Mallee (assistant hitting coach) on the offensive side. Tommy Hottovy and Daniel Moskos are back as the lead and assistant pitching coaches, respectively. Mike Napoli and Willie Harris will return as the base coaches.

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35 Comments

  1. swinging wood

    2 years ago

    No relation to John Holmes.

    5
    Reply
    • drasco036

      2 years ago

      Or HH for that matter.

      2
      Reply
  2. rondon

    2 years ago

    Now all they have to do is find a 3rd and 1st baseman, another frontline starter and a couple of serious BP arms. IMHO

    6
    Reply
    • sjwil1

      2 years ago

      .. and a CFer

      1
      Reply
    • PutPeteinthehall

      2 years ago

      You’re spot on. Infield corners, starter and minimum two bullpen arms. CF kinda held down by Tauchman until PCA is called up

      1
      Reply
    • acoss13

      2 years ago

      Wouldn’t mind getting Hoskins at 1B, he’s a good bat with passable defense. Can we not rely on Wisdom for third base? Would rather see Morel there. Do not want Chapman, he’s looking for a big payday and his offensive numbers are pedestrian, his gold glove defense isn’t enough to mask them.

      Reply
      • Curveball1984

        2 years ago

        Wisdom would be fine @ 3B, capable of average D, and I truly feel like a Dave Kingman, capable of a potential 45-50HR season with possibly 85-110RBI’s. But… he’s gonna have to play everyday in the grind, AND the team & fans like King, are gonna have to tolerate he WILL strike out 200+ times a year, barely hit the Mendoza line, and hope he draws some walks. Wisdom is an interesting cheap piece with moonshot thump, but he’s gotta play everyday, and you gotta take the good with the bad.

        Reply
        • Unclemike1525

          2 years ago

          Seriously? We haven’t been watching the same Patrick Wisdom. When he first got here he was a decent 3B but went downhill fast. And if he played everyday he’d strike out 300 times not 200. He’d have 200 by the All Star Break. I can’t even believe they resigned him.

          3
          Reply
        • rondon

          2 years ago

          Agreed, Unclemike…

          2
          Reply
        • drasco036

          2 years ago

          The Cubs re-signed Wisdom because he was actually pretty decent as a back up (offensively) down the stretch when utilized selectively. I didn’t want Wisdom back but I understand why they brought him back.
          As for the other poster comment, Wisdom is a train wreck on defense. What makes it worse is the timing of Wisdoms poor defensively plays, seemed to me, every time he miss played a ball it led to lead changes.

          1
          Reply
      • drasco036

        2 years ago

        I think this is a mistake but I have a feeling the Cubs are pivoting away from Bellinger and have their sites set on Chapman and Hoskins.
        I like the Hoskins fit, not a fan of Chapman (unless the Cubs can get him to 180 the way Bellinger did with his two strike approach).
        If this is the case, I’m going to seriously start wondering if Hoyer is the right guy to lead the Cubs.

        1
        Reply
        • Unclemike1525

          2 years ago

          That first year Wisdom was pretty good defensively. Especially when you consider Hoerner spent most of that year on the other side of 2nd Base when you could shift. Now he just looks pathetic out there. I can’t imagine a world where I’d give him 500 AB’s. Just thinking about it makes me want to hurl. About what Jed’s doing? At this point I’d be lying if I said I had a clue. He better have plans A-H in place at this stage. I’m not crazy about Chapman but I reluctantly agree he does make them better defensively anyway. But at what cost?

          1
          Reply
    • Dogbone

      2 years ago

      Wisdom is a train wreck. I could see him being a bench ‘luxury’ on a WS contender. No need for the Cubs to carry him.
      As for Chapman or Hoskins – No and No IMO.
      The Cubs need more LH balance in the lineup. Both of these guys cost too much and aren’t good value, and they tie the Cubs hands, going forward. The organization committed to drafting and player development a few years ago – and now that things are apparently coming to fruition, you don’t want to put your momentum in jeopardy.

      1
      Reply
  3. User 2079935927

    2 years ago

    Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    Reply
  4. DeusSexMachina

    2 years ago

    Sup, Holmes?

    Reply
  5. Rishi

    2 years ago

    First year watching baseball Holmes was dominant out of Braves pen. Near stadium we always passed Holmes Drive and thought of him. Cool story bro….as my dad would jokingly say.lol.

    Reply
  6. User 1855579867

    2 years ago

    A bullpen coach is key in making sure no one fires up a blunt in the pen during the game.

    1
    Reply
    • djmac

      2 years ago

      You’re bringing back memories of the days when Dave Stewart’s job was to stand guard at the A’s bullpen bathroom while Steve Howe would be inside snorting up!

      Reply
  7. Chicks dig bunting

    2 years ago

    Is he related to HH homes any one remember him

    1
    Reply
    • TrumboRedux

      2 years ago

      Yeah I think they executed him..

      Reply
  8. swanhenge

    2 years ago

    So cool that Nap still has a job in baseball. Part of one of the most entertaining Sox teams ever.

    Reply
    • Curveball1984

      2 years ago

      Even more interesting considering the Cubs fired his teammate Rossy from those same Sox, yet Nap stayed on.

      Reply
    • Unclemike1525

      2 years ago

      I’m actually kind of surprised he kept that many of Ross’s coaches. I’m not sure what the situation is with his old coaches in Milwaukee but I think they all had contracts for this year and Murphy kept them. I have no idea how long those contracts run or if they want to come here. Was it because the Cubs coaches were signed so since they gave Counsell 8 million bucks did they ask him to keep these guys? We’ll probably never find out but stay tuned if the Milwaukee guys get turned loose after next year. Does anybody know how long the contracts are? I’d be curious.

      Reply
  9. cosmo1

    2 years ago

    That’s great. Now how about a bullpen

    1
    Reply
  10. Catuli Carl

    2 years ago

    Take that, Dodgers.

    6
    Reply
  11. Toksoon

    2 years ago

    I hope he can hit and pitch ! Wtf Jed ? Why weren’t these things done right after Craig was hired ?

    Reply
  12. jason830

    2 years ago

    This is the big off-season move for us cubs fans. Time to raise a new World Series banner in 2024.

    1
    Reply
    • holycow16

      2 years ago

      Ugh….

      Reply
  13. whitesox2112

    2 years ago

    Need a whole new team first

    Reply
    • Cachhubguy

      2 years ago

      We know you do.

      1
      Reply
  14. BashBroJoe

    2 years ago

    My backyard wrestling name was Funeral Holmes. No relation.

    Reply
  15. This one belongs to the Reds

    2 years ago

    He’d have to be a Sherlock to figure things out, eh?

    Reply
  16. JackStrawb

    2 years ago

    “…before Baltimore changed its pitching voices this past October…”

    We really don’t teach writing, do we.

    Reply
  17. rememberthecoop

    2 years ago

    So they have a bullpen coach, but no 1B, 3B, front-of-the rotation type starter and a crap bullpen. Go get ’em Cubs!

    Reply
    • Dogbone

      2 years ago

      Sure coop – I guess you don’t see Justin Steele as a ‘front of the rotation starter’? And a crap bullpen? Keep that glass half empty. I hope the Peotone Gazette enjoys your input.

      Reply

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