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Padres’ rival poaching Ben Fritz leaves AJ Preller with crucial pitching staff decision

Losing Ben Fritz to Arizona gives the Padres another offseason decision to get right. Their bullpen coach vacancy deserves serious attention.

By Tremayne Person · Friars on Base

Published: Friday, 30 October 2026 at 9:28 PM

Key Things to Know

The Arizona Diamondbacks hired San Diego Padres bullpen coach Ben Fritz as their new pitching coach.
Fritz departs San Diego after seven seasons as bullpen coach, including an interim pitching coach stint in 2021.
Friars on Base argues Fritz's departure leaves Padres executive AJ Preller with a crucial bullpen coach vacancy to fill.

The Story in 60 Seconds

The Arizona Diamondbacks have hired Ben Fritz as their new pitching coach, leaving the San Diego Padres to fill a key opening on their staff. Fritz departs after seven seasons serving as San Diego's bullpen coach, which included a stint as interim pitching coach in 2021, according to Dennis Lin of The Athletic.

Friars on Base argues that Fritz's departure for an NL West rival creates a crucial replacement decision for Padres executive AJ Preller. While pitching coach Ruben Niebla provides continuity, Fritz was valued for managing reliever workloads, leaving Arizona with an experienced coach tasked with improving a pitching staff that posted a 4.18 ERA in 2026.

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Padres’ rival poaching Ben Fritz leaves AJ Preller with crucial pitching staff decision

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