Former Major League slugger Mark McGwire won’t be returning as the San Diego Padres bench coach, according to The Associated Press.
McGwire, who has been the hitting coach for the Padres for the past three seasons, told Padres manager Andy Green about his decision earlier this month.
The former big leaguer told Green he wants to spend more time with his family, especially his two sons as they enter high school.
“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.”
During his career, McGwire hit 583 home runs and career record for at-bats per home run ratio at 10.6. In 2010, He admitted to using steroids during his playing days.
Before coming to the Padres, McGwire, who lives in Orange County, was the bench coach for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It was unclear if McGwire will pursue a coaching job closer to home.
