Phillies hire Thomson as bench coach

PHILADELPHIA » The Philadelphia Phillies have hired Rob Thomson as bench coach.

Thomson spent the last 10 seasons with the New York Yankees as bench coach (2008; 2015-17) and third base coach (2009-14). The move was announced Tuesday.

The 54-year-old Thomson served 28 seasons with the Yankees as a minor league coach, manager, field coordinator, director of player development and vice president of minor league development.

First base coach is the last remaining spot on Philadelphia’s staff.

New manager Gabe Kapler has already selected bullpen coach Jim Gott, assistant hitting coach Pedro Guerrero, pitching coach Rick Kranitz, hitting coach John Mallee, third base coach Dusty Wathan and assistant pitching coach Chris Young.

Former Braves GM Coppolella apologizes

ATLANTA » Banned from baseball for life, former Atlanta Braves general manager John Coppolella apologized Tuesday for rules violations that led to major sanctions against the team and “cost me my dream job and my future in the game that I love.”

In his first public comments since losing his job in the midst of Major League Baseball’s investigation, Coppolella sent out a five-paragraph statement to ESPN and other media outlets.

“I have been hesitant to speak publicly as my family and I have been devastated and embarrassed by the repercussions of my actions,” he said. “I realize now that I need to address what happened and speak to those affected.”

Coppolella was forced to resign the day after the regular season ended. MLB found the Braves circumvented international signing rules from 2015-17, which led to the team forfeiting the rights to 13 prospects and facing major restrictions on signing players outside the United States until 2021.

Commissioner Rob Manfred said the Braves’ organization fully cooperated in the investigation, but he also indicated the Coppolella received the harshest penalty the game can dole out because he wouldn’t come clean.