Bench coach Mark McGwire is leaving the San Diego Padres to spend more time with his family Andrelton Simmons Jersey , according to Jeff Sanders of the San DiegoUnion-Tribune.McGwire has served on manager Andy Green's coaching staff sinceDec. 2015. That staff is undergoing major changes this offseason, however, ashitting coach Matt Stairs and infield coach Josh Johnson were both fired earlier in October and McGwire is quitting his post as well.McGwire, 55, was one of the most feared power hitters of his generation during his playing years, hitting 583 home runs and 1,414 RBI in his career. He was the 1987 American League Rookie of the Year and a 12-time All-Star, most famously surpassing Roger Maris' previous record of 61 homers in a single season by blasting 70 with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1998.That record would then be broken by Barry Bonds (73) in 2001.During his playing career, McGwire played for the Oakland Athletics鈥攆orming the famous "Bash Brothers" with fellow slugger Jose Canseco鈥攁nd the Cardinals. His many achievements earned an asterisk, however, when he admitted to steroid use during his career. That steroid use has also played the major part in McGwire never being inducted into the Hall of Fame.After his playing career http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-yunel-escobar-jersey , McGwire served as the Cardinals hitting coach for three seasons and the Los Angeles Dodgers' hitting coach for another three before joining the Padres.During his tenure in San Diego, Sanders noted that McGwire "was not only an experienced right-hand man for Green, he was leaned on heavily for his expertise at the plate."According toAJ Cassavellof MLB.com,Triple-A manager Rod Barajas is a "top candidate" to replace McGwire, though "it's unclear who the Padres will call upon to fill his place."He added that "early indications" suggest the Padres may fill out their coaching staff vacancies with internal candidates. The Pittsburgh Pirates can get back to .500 with a win Saturday in the middle game of a series against the Miami Marlins at PNC Park.The Pirates (70-71), who won their fourth straight, 5-3, in the opener Friday, need to win what would seem to be an attainable but hardly simple 12 of their final 21 games to finish over .500.Things are bleaker for the Marlins (56-85), who have lost three of five. They need to win seven of their last 21 games just to avoid losing 100 games for the third time in team history.Article continues below ...“No one wants to be part of a 100-loss team,” starter Dan Straily said going into what was a no-decision Friday. “Everyone in this room should want to avoid 100 losses. There’s only way not to do that.”The Marlins hit triple digits in losses in 1998 (54-108) and 2013 (62-100).Straily left in the fifth Friday with a strained left oblique but is considered day to day Martin Maldonado Jersey , the club said.Pittsburgh might have hit a setback Friday when right fielder Gregory Polanco left the field with some assistance in the sixth after an awkward leaping slide into second on a double. The Pirates reported he had pain in his left knee and left shoulder.Miami left-hander Wei-Yin Chen (6-9, 4.64 ERA) is scheduled to start against right-hander Ivan Nova (7-9, 4.35 ERA) Saturday.Chen has thrown more than 100 pitches in three of his past four starts. He is coming off a 6-3 win last Saturday against Toronto when he held the Blue Jays to one run and three hits, tied a career high with eight innings pitched and at one point retired 14 batters in a row.“He’s been really good for a while now,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “It’s good to see that confidence in him. We’re seeing a guy that we thought we had a couple of years back before all this elbow stuff went down.”Chen has no lingering issues from elbow and shoulder problems that plagued him in recent years.“I probably feel the best over the last two or three years,” he said, adding that he’s also putting a big effort into preparation.“I’ve been trying to study hitters, watch videos, and talk to (catcher J.T. Realmuto) a lot. I do the homework day in and day out, and I think that helps me execute the pitch during the game.”Saturday’s game will be a test of whether he can do that on the road. He has a 1.77 ERA in 12 home starts, but a 9.35 ERA in 10 road starts.Nova’s last start was supposed to be Sunday http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-j.-c.-ramirez-jersey , but instead he was granted a leave from the team for personal reasons.He has not pitched since Aug. 28, when he gave up four runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings in a 5-2 loss to St. Louis. The Cardinals had 11 runners against him, five of them reaching on doubles.“It was on and off, on and off. I didn’t put it together, and it wasn’t my best effort,” Nova said.He is 5-5 with a 3.87 ERA over his past 14 starts.The Marlins might be a timely opponent. Nova is 3-0 with a 1.25 ERA in three career starts against Miami, including a 7-3 win April 15 when he struck out nine.