hit a game-ending single against the Toronto Blue Jays. On August 11, he helped the Yankees come back from a five-run deficit by hitting a home run in the eighth inning and a go-ahead single in the ninth inning to beat the Rangers. In a six-game stretch from August 24 to 30, he had 6 home runs and 11 RBIs in 21 at-bats. On July 29, 2010, Thames made his first career appearance at third base (minor leagues included) as a late-inning replacement. He committed a throwing error in his only chance. During the 2010 ALCS, Thames served as the designated hitter when Lance Berkman took over first base and Mark Teixeira went on the disabled list with a hamstring injury. The Yankees lost the ALCS to the Texas Rangers in 6 games. Thames elected free agency from the Yankees on November 7, 2010. Los Angeles Dodgers Thames signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the 2011 season. He made 70 appearances for the Dodgers before being designated for assignment on July 12. He had a .197 batting average for Los Angeles. He was released a few days later. Third stint with the Yankees On July 22, 2011, the New York Yankees signed Thames to a minor league deal. However, he never played in a game for the Yankees at any level of their system the rest of the season. Coaching career Minor leagues On January 10, 2013, Thames was named the hitting coach of the Class A-Advanced Tampa Yankees. For the 2014 season Marcus Thames was named the hitting coach of the New York Yankees Double-A affiliate the Trenton Thunder. Top Yankees prospect Rob Refsnyder credited Thames with helping him rework his swing that allowed him to have his breakout 2014 season. Thames was considered by the New York Yankees for their vacant hitting coach job and for a new role as assistant hitting coach prior to the 2015 season, but he ultimately was named hitting coach for the Yankees Triple-A affiliate the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. New York Yankees After the 2015 season, the Yankees dismissed Jeff Pentland as their hitting coach, promoted Alan Cockrell, their assistant hitting coach, to replace him, and promoted Thames to the role of assistant hitting coach. After the 2017 season, the Yankees dismissed Alan Cockrell as their hitting coach and promoted Thames to hitting coach. His contract was not renewed for