Diamondbacks lands news bullpen coach from Padres

The Arizona Diamondbacks are turning to a division rival to strengthen their pitching staff, reportedly bringing in San Diego Padres bullpen coach Ben Fritz as their next pitching coach.

Fritz will replace Brian Kaplan, who was not retained after two seasons. Arizona has agreed to hire the 45-year-old, although final details still need to be completed before the move becomes official.

Fritz has spent the past seven seasons working with San Diego’s major-league staff, taking over as bullpen coach in 2020. He also briefly served as the Padres’ interim pitching coach in 2021 after Larry Rothschild was dismissed. This will be his first full-time opportunity in the position.

His experience with San Diego’s bullpen makes the move particularly interesting. Since 2020, Padres relievers have posted the seventh-lowest ERA and third-highest fWAR in the majors. The unit ranked first in fWAR in 2026 while Fritz worked alongside pitching coach Ruben Niebla.

Before entering coaching, Fritz was a standout at Fresno State and a first-round selection by the Oakland Athletics in the 2002 MLB Draft. He spent seven seasons pitching in the minor leagues before joining the Padres organization as a coach in 2015.

Fritz is expected to work with returning assistant pitching coach Owen Dew and bullpen coach Wellington Cepeda. Arizona is reportedly keeping the rest of its coaching staff intact, making Kaplan’s departure the only change.

The Diamondbacks will need Fritz to carry some of San Diego’s success into Arizona. Improving consistency and getting more production from the pitching staff will be key priorities as the team prepares for the 2027 season.