When Joe Girardi took the helm as Phillies manager ahead of the 2020 season, he added an experienced pitching coach. Bryan Price was named pitching coach under Girardi, replacing Chris Young. However, it appears that Price is done coaching full-time for the Phillies after just one season.
Todd Zolecki notes that Price has decided to retire from his full-time pitching coach position:
#Phillies announce that pitching coach Bryan Price has retired from “a full-time coaching capacity.”
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) October 18, 2020
So what does that particular wording mean?
It suggests that Price could stick around part-time in another role. Price has experience as a pitching coach for four major league teams and managing the Cincinnati Reds. Could he be an "advisor" to the general manager, whoever that might be?
Price drew high praise from the Phillies pitching staff as Spring Training got underway, as well as at "Summer Camp".
Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia called the move a "personal decision". But whatever the reason, the Phillies will have to solve the very important role that they have struggled to staff. In recent seasons the Phillies have employed Bob McClure, Rick Kranitz, Young, and then Price, with a fifth new pitching coach in five years on the way.
Kranitz, dismissed because Young was seen as a rising coaching star, meanwhile has assisted the Atlanta Braves to back-to-back division titles.
The Phillies have not announced any other coaching changes as of this moment. Aside from Price and hitting coach Joe DIllon, the remainder of the coaching staff was retained from the staff of former manager Gabe Kapler. Girardi's most recent pitching coach with the Yankees, Larry Rothschild, was available last offseason but took the pitching coach role with the San Diego Padres.
