Other major league franchises regard the San Diego Padres’ pitching instructors as the gold standard because they have developed quality pitchers from prospects outside of the spotlight. It was only a matter of time before another organization poached one away.
One of Ruben Niebla’s top lieutenants, bullpen coach Ben Fritz, was hired to become the Arizona Diamondbacks’ new pitching coach.
The unsung bullpen architect
Since arriving in San Diego a decade ago, Fritz had become one of the sport’s top bullpen coaches. He helped pitchers
like Bradgley Rodriguez, Jeremiah Estrada, David Morgan, and others transition from off-the-radar prospects to solid contributors out of the ‘pen.
He fostered relationships by earning their trust, and Fritz heightened their skill level to help them reach their true potential on the mound. Following in Niebla’s footsteps, Fritz used data to diagnose and fix a pitcher’s struggles.
The Padres’ bullpen outperformed the competition with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. The unit carried the fourth-heaviest workload in the majors, but the group struck out the most batters (715) this season.
Mason Miller anchored the bullpen, posting a dominant 1.67 ERA with a staggering 16.5 K/9. But the setup reliever, Adrian Morejon, is Fritz’s top pupil. He saw a young pitching prospect with a quality arm and molded him into one of the top left-handed relief pitchers in the majors.
The Friars will have a new voice in the bullpen. Keeping that late-inning dominance will be a challenge next season.
What does Fritz’s departure mean to the Padres?
His departure does not mean the end of the world for the Friars. Realistically, a promotion was the only path to keep Fritz in the organization. But the offer to run your own pitching staff is too enticing to turn down.
The impact of Fritz’ loss will be felt next season. Clearly, he wanted to expand his role as a pitching instructor and took a job with the Friars’ division rival. His departure is not a cause for concern. The front office should have already identified bullpen coach candidates for such a move.
A new hire is on the horizon; the Padres will likely select an in-house candidate. But if the next bullpen coach comes from outside the organization, the front office cannot wait too long. Desired candidates will come off the board.
Given the success of the minor league pitching pipeline, Niebla has his hybrid philosophy down to a science. This is why an in-house promotion is the best choice.
Change is inevitable in baseball. Well, that day has come for the Padres coaching staff. It will look different in 2027.
Fritz has found a new home in the desert. While the time is right for him to run a pitching staff, his departure leaves the bullpen without a leading voice.
Padres News:
- Padres closer Mason Miller was recognized as the top reliever in baseball. Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball recaps what Miller’s accent to the top spot in 2026.
- Will Wagner was not someone many Padres fans thought about for much of the 2026 season, but he is on the 40-man roster and he received a grade for his contributions in 2026 from Lincoln Zdunich of Gaslamp Ball.
- Here are some Padres notes as provided by the San Diego Union-Tribune following the GM Meetings.
- According to a report from MLB Trade Rumors the New York Yankees have shown past interest in a piece of the San Diego bullpen.
Baseball News:
- Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs and Yordan Alvarez of the Houston Astros were both named unanimous MVPs in their respective leagues.
- There was not much activity at the GM Meetings with regard to signings or trades, but the expectation is they set the foundation for what could come over the rest of the month.
- Here are the latest rumors from the MLB hot stove.
- Reliever Evan Phillips signed a three-year deal with the Atlanta Braves.
