Houston Astros Hire San Diego Padres Hitting Coach In Lateral Move

[Matthew Lenz]

As the San Diego Padres have already announced a flurry of moves - most of which create voids on the 2026 roster - they now have a position to fill on their major league staff.

Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting that the Houston Astros have poached Padres hitting coach Victor Rodriguez for the same position.

The announcement comes at a time when the Friars don't have a manager and don't see themselves particularly close to hiring one. Moreover, whoever is hired as the new manager could bring in their own staff, costing Rodriguez a job. It's that uncertainty that justifies the lateral move. He had one year remaining on his deal.

In two years with the big league club, the Padres' offense posted two of the best team batting averages in the organization's history. However, their power production didn't follow suit. Notably, in 2025, the Padres finished with the third-fewest home runs in baseball after finishing with the 10th-most (ironically tied with the Astros) in 2024. It stands to reason that Rodriguez's hitting philosophy prioritizes putting the ball in play over power.

How do you think this will impact the 2026 Padres? Let us know in the comments!

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