Nationals add ‘Baby Shark’ Parra as first base coach in workers adjustments

Gerardo Parra – of “Baby Shark” fame – would be the new first base coach for the Washington Nationals as a part of a sequence of adjustments to supervisor Dave Martinez‘s workers introduced by the membership on Friday after a fourth consecutive last-place end within the NL East.

Miguel Cairo shall be Martinez‘s bench coach and Ricky Gutierrez is shifting to 3rd base coach after holding the title of run prevention coordinator in 2023. Chris Johnson was employed as assistant hitting coach.

Holdovers embody hitting coach Darnell Coles, pitching coach Jim Hickey, catching and technique coach Henry Blanco and bullpen coach Ricky Bones.

This is Parra’s first job on a serious league teaching workers. After retiring in 2021, he began working within the Nationals’ entrance workplace in 2022. Parra performed within the majors for 12 years and signed with Washington in 2019 as a backup outfielder. His alternative of “Baby Shark” as his walkup music – a nod to his 2-year-old daughter – grew to become a rallying cry for followers and gamers whereas the membership received its first championship that season.

Cairo, additionally a former participant, was the minor league infield coordinator for the New York Mets final season. Before that, he was the bench coach for the Chicago White Sox for 2 seasons.

Coles, Hickey, Blanco and Bones head into their third season in these roles with Washington.

The Nationals didn’t renew the contracts of bench coach Tim Bogar, third base coach Gary DiSarcina, first base coach Eric Young Jr. and assistant hitting coach Pat Roessler.

The Nationals went 71-91 in 2023 as normal supervisor Mike Rizzo continues to attempt to remake their roster. In the National League, solely the Colorado Rockies completed with a worse report this yr.

Rizzo and Martinez each received new contracts through the season.

Rizzo has been the workforce’s GM since 2007. He employed Martinez for his first managerial job earlier than the 2018 season.