SAN DIEGO (AP) - The San Diego Padres have fired hitting coach Matt Stairs after one year on the job as the team continued to rank at the bottom of the majors in key offensive stats.
General manager A.J. Preller confirmed the move Tuesday, saying in a text to The Associated Press: "We made the change."
The rebuilding Padres finished last in the NL West at 66-96, five losses worse than 2017.
Stairs' replacement will be the Padres' 10th hitting coach since Petco Park opened in 2004.
He had replaced Alan Zinter, who was fired on Sept.