MINNEAPOLIS — Former San Diego Padres manager Jayce Tingler was hired Monday as bench coach of the Minnesota Twins, who also picked David Popkins as their new hitting coach.
Tingler went 116-106 over two seasons with the Padres, who made the playoffs in 2020 but collapsed down the stretch this year, resulting in his dismissal.
Before his time in San Diego, Tingler spent 13 seasons in a variety of roles with the Texas Rangers. Tingler, 40, was drafted as an outfielder by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2003 and played parts of four seasons in the minor leagues before turning to coaching.
Popkins, 31, was the hitting coach for the Class A Great Lakes Loons in 2021, a Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate. Popkins played three minor league seasons as an outfielder in the St. Louis Cardinals system and three years of independent league ball, before going into coaching.
Tingler fills the void left when Mike Bell died of cancer in March.
Popkins replaces Edgar Varela, who was reassigned to a minor league role.