UPDATE: The Padres announced their coaching staff on Wednesday and McGwire is officially the team's bench coach.
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It appears as if the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers are swapping coaches. Just one day after the Dodgers named Dave Roberts their manager, the latest rumors indicate Mark McGwire will be the next Padres bench coach.
Roberts previously served as the Padres bench coach while McGwire was the Dodgers hitting coach.
"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 of the Padres," writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Roberts was expected to depart after San Diego hired Andy Green to take over as manager following the dismissals of Bud Black and Pat Murphy. He apparently impressed during his interview with the Dodgers and won the job over the previous favorite, Gabe Kapler.
As for McGwire, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune first reported the speculation regarding the former slugger heading to San Diego.
"Though he has never been a bench coach, McGwire, 52, would bring considerable clout to San Diego," Lin wrote last week. "Under new manager Andy Green, the Padres recently hired Alan Zinter as hitting coach. Sources said one possible scenario is McGwire assisting both Green and Zinter."
Scott Miller of Bleacher Report also made note of the situation last week.
Like Roberts, McGwire's future with his team from the 2015 season wasn't definite because the Dodgers parted ways with manager Don Mattingly, which likely indicated the whole staff would require a makeover.
McGwire's extensive experience as a player and coach should be beneficial in joining the Padres, as Green enters his first year of managing at the MLB level. He may also play a role in improving the Padres' dismal offense, which ranked 23rd in the MLB last year.
This is perhaps only the beginning of general manager A.J. Preller's retooling of the Padres. He already traded closer Craig Kimbrel and setup man Joaquin Benoit for prospects in addition to overhauling the coaching staff.
Stay tuned for a confirmation from the Padres.
