With their manager in place, the Los Angeles Dodgers can now press forward in rounding out the coaching staff.
Davey Lopes is now part of Dusty Baker’s Washington Nationals staff as first base coach, while Ron Roenicke returned to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim organization to coach third base.
While a hire has not yet been made official, Tim Wallach previously stated he would join Don Mattingly and the Miami Marlins if not hired by the Dodgers as manager.
Now former Dodgers hitting coach Mark McGwire appears to be the latest departure. After recently being named as a candidate for the position, McGwire is expected to join the San Diego Padres as bench coach, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports:
Mark McGwire, the slugger who served as hitting coach the last six years with the Cardinals and then the Dodgers, is expected to be named bench coach for the Padres.
McGwire replaces Dave Roberts, whom the Dodgers officially hired on Monday as the 28th manager in franchise history.
Roberts spent the last two seasons working as Bud Black’s bench coach, and prior to that was a first base coach and part of the Padres’ front office.
McGwire was previously believed to be a candidate to join the Arizona Diamondbacks as hitting coach, though withdrew himself from consideration so that he could remain close to his Irvine, Calif. home.
McGwire, who spent 16 seasons in the Majors, has never served as a bench coach. He joined the Dodgers as hitting coach in 2013. McGwire also served as the St. Louis Cardinals hitting coach, getting hired in 2009 by his former manager Tony La Russa.
The Dodgers are expected to retain pitching coach Rick Honeycutt, though team president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman indicated roughly two weeks ago Honeycutt’s and other coaches’ contracts were not finalized.
