Phillies’ Pitching Coach Bryan Price Quits After 1 Season, Decides to Retire

Bryan Price in 2017. Photo by John Fisher/CSM/REX/Shutterstock (8991659b)

Philadelphia Phillies learned some surprising news on Sunday. Their pitching coach Bryan Price decided to quit his post after just one year with the organization and will retire from baseball altogether.

Price signed a three-year deal with Phillies ahead of the 2020 MLB season and was brought in to help new manager Joe Girardi in turning around a struggling bullpen. However, the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic and being away from his family made the 58-year-old coach say goodbye to Philly.

“The inability for them to access me because of the limitations of the world we live in was difficult,” said Price explaining his decision. “That said it was clear to me by end of the season and the weeks I’ve been home that I’m just done full time on the field. I miss my family. I’ve been taking them through this since 1991. They’re great and supportive. It just doesn’t resonate with me anymore to spend this much time away from home.”

Reportedly, there are several candidates that could fill in Price’s shoes. The organization might decide to get an in-house replacement with assistant pitching coach Dave Lundquist and bullpen coach Jim Gott being the frontrunners.

Rich Dubee, who served as Philly’s pitching coach between 2005 and 2013, is also believed to be interested in the job.

Bryan Price has been in the MLB since 2000 when he joined Seattle Mariners as a pitching coach. He spent seven seasons in Seattle before serving in the same position with Arizona Diamondbacks and Cincinnati Reds. Price became Reds’ manager in 2014 and held the post until 2018.