Mark McGwire won’t return as Padres bench coach

MLB-San-Diego-Padres-bench-boss-Mark-McGwire

San Diego Padres' Eric Hosmer, left, is greeted by bench coach Mark McGwire. (Keith Srakocic/AP)

SAN DIEGO — Padres manager Andy Green says Mark McGwire won’t return as San Diego’s bench coach next season in order to spend more time with his family.

McGwire, who hit 583 home runs during his big league career, spent three seasons on the Padres’ staff.

"He wants to watch his two boys play high school baseball," Green said in a text to The Associated Press. "We talked about it a lot before the season ended."

McGwire lives in Irvine in southern Orange County.

McGwire joined the Padres after spending three seasons as hitting coach of the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. Before that, McGwire was hitting coach of the St. Louis Cardinals for three seasons following a hiatus after his steroid-tainted playing career ended.

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