Diamondbacks keep hitting coach Joe Mather — NL West roundup

No NL West clubs took the field yesterday, but there was meaningful news on the coaching and pitching fronts for the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres.

Diamondbacks lock in Joe Mather on hitting side

MLB Trade Rumors reports that the Arizona Diamondbacks will retain Joe Mather as their hitting coach. That decision adds stability on the offensive side for manager Torey Lovullo’s staff, after questions had been raised about his future once the season ended.

Those doubts were settled when Arizona gave Lovullo a two-year extension on Oct. 1. Five days later, the club moved on from pitching coach Brian Kaplan. Keeping Mather in place helps define the new coaching mix around the pitching staff, as the Diamondbacks head into the offseason coming off an 86-76 finish in the NL West.

Michael King open to Padres return

For the San Diego Padres, MLB Trade Rumors notes that right-hander Michael King is open to returning to the club. King stood out in the NLDS despite San Diego’s elimination at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers. He threw five innings of one-run ball in Game 2, then came back two days later to log a two-inning save in Game 3, and was reportedly available again for Game 4.

The Padres wrapped up the regular season at 91-71, trailing only the 100-62 Los Angeles Dodgers in the division. In that context, King’s openness to a return becomes a notable storyline for a team that expects to contend again out of the NL West.

Elsewhere in the division, there were no new developments reported for the Dodgers, Colorado Rockies (58-104) or San Francisco Giants (65-97), as all three clubs turn their focus toward what could be a busy winter in the NL West.