Following three seasons as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies TV broadcast team, former A's slugger Matt Stairs is heading downstairs to take over as the team's hitting coach.
The Phillies announced the move late Wednesday morning.
Stairs replaced Steve Henderson, who was fired as the team's hitting coach on Oct. 3.
The appointment to the Phillies coaching staff is Stairs' first coaching job since retiring as a player in 2011. In 2012 and 2013, he served as a studio analyst on the Boston Red Sox's broadcast. Prior to the 2014 season, he moved to the Phillies broadcast team.
Stairs is charged with trying to turn around a Phillies offense that scored an MLB-low 610 runs during the 2016 season. Philadelphia also ranked 29th in batting average, 29th in on-base percentage, last in slugging percentage and 24th in home runs.
The 48-year-old Stairs played with 12 teams over 19 major league seasons, including five with the A's. During his time in Oakland, he hit .268/.363/.509 with 122 home runs and 385 RBI.
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Stairs originally signed with the A's on Dec. 1, 1995. His time in Oakland came to an end when he was traded to the Cubs for pitcher Eric Ireland following the 2000 season.
Over his 19 seasons with the A's, Royals, Nationals, Phillies, Blue Jays, Pirates, Red Sox, Rangers, Padres, Cubs, Tigers and Brewers, Stairs amassed 294 doubles, 265 home runs and 899 RBI.
#Phillies have named former major leaguer Matt Stairs as the team's new hitting coach. pic.twitter.com/thEcqaul4s— Phillies (@Phillies) November 2, 2016
