REPORT: Former infielder with unique footnote in SF Giants history hired as D-Backs coach

You probably didn’t anticipate seeing news about Diamondbacks former infielder in your feed, yet here we are. The former SF Giants infielder was named an assistant hitting coach by the Arizona Diamondbacks, who recently concluded their major league coaching staff.

Former infielder with unique footnote in SF Giants history hired as D-Backs coach

The Arizona Diamondbacks announced several coaching staff changes. Owen Dew was hired as an assistant pitching coach, while former assistant hitting coach Rick Short transitioned to a minor league field coordinator role.

Notably, former infielder Travis Denker joined the major league coaching staff after serving as a hitting coach for Arizona’s Triple-A affiliate in 2024. Denker’s playing career spanned several organizations after being drafted by the Dodgers in 2003. His brief MLB stint came with the Giants in 2008, where he collected nine hits, including a memorable home run against the Mets.

Denker also holds a unique place in Giants history as part of the last player-for-player trade between the Giants and Dodgers in 2007, which sent Mark Sweeney to Los Angeles. This type of trade is rare given modern roster construction, as the pinch-hitter role Sweeney excelled in has largely disappeared from today’s game.