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Padres Add Hitting Coach to 2023 Coaching Staff

There will be no official lead hitting coach on the staff

MLB: Chicago White Sox-Media Day Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Acee is reporting that the San Diego Padres are adding another coach to their staff. Scott Coolbaugh will be an assistant hitting coach alongside Ryan Flaherty. There will be no official hitting coach for the 2023 season. Michael Brdar left the organization this offseason to be the hitting coach for the Detroit Tigers.

Coolbaugh played for the Padres in 1991 after playing for the Texas Rangers. The 56-year-old has served as a minor league manager and minor league hitting coach before getting to the major league level as an assistant hitting coach for the Chicago White Sox (2020) and the Tigers (2021-22). Detroit dismissed him following last season.

Nelson Cruz, 42, is reportedly signing a one-year deal with the club so he is essentially another hitting coach for the Padres, as he has 18 years of big league experience. Having Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts and Juan Soto on the roster to help teammates isn’t a bad thing, either.