SAN DIEGO -- The Padres have promoted Skip Schumaker to the role of first-base coach, according to a team source. Schumaker, who had spent the past two seasons working in a baseball operations and player-development role, will also be in charge of baserunning and working with the club's outfielders.
The Padres have not confirmed the news, but an announcement is expected after the conclusion of the World Series.
Johnny Washington, San Diego's first-base coach in 2017, will serve instead as assistant hitting coach. Jonathan Mathews, who filled that role last season, will be re-assigned to a Minor League staff. The club is expected to announce the hiring of Matt Stairs as hitting coach later this week.
Schumaker, 37, was invited to Padres camp before the 2016 season, but he retired instead by mid-March. Later that year, he took over in his role as special assistant for player development and baseball ops.
In 11 big league seasons with three teams, Schumaker batted .278/.337/.364, playing second base and all three outfield positions.
In San Diego, he'll be tasked with developing one of the game's youngest outfields. Manuel Margot and Hunter Renfroe are each coming off their rookie seasons, and Jose Pirela only transitioned into a permanent left-field role this past summer.
Defensive metrics had the Padres pegged as an above-average outfield defense in 2017 -- much of that attributable to Margot. But the organization feels there's plenty of room for improvement, across the board. Meanwhile, on the bases, Schumaker is tasked with honing the Padres' aggressiveness. They're undoubtedly one of the sport's fastest clubs, with Margot, Cory Spangenberg, Travis Jankowski and William Myers gracing the lineup. But it's a young group that could use some seasoning.