Padres assistant GM A.J. Hinch leaves team

The San Diego Padres have been without a general manager since late June, and now the team is down an assistant GM as well. A.J. Hinch, who served with Omar Minaya and Fred Uhlman Jr. as San Diego's interim management team during the MLB trade deadline, has left the team, the Padres announced Tuesday.

The San Diego Padres have been without a general manager since late June, and now the team is down an assistant GM as well.

A.J. Hinch, who served with Omar Minaya and Fred Uhlman Jr. as San Diego's interim management team during the MLB trade deadline, has left the team, the Padres announced Tuesday. 

The Padres search for a replacement was reportedly narrowed down to four candidates in mid-July, including Texas Rangers assistant GM A.J. Preller, Boston Red Sox assistant GM Mike Hazen, New York Yankees assistant GM Billy Eppler and Kim Ng, the senior vice president of baseball operations for Major League Baseball.

CBS Sports reported Monday that Eppler is now considered the front-runner with Preller the other finalist. 

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San Diego's interim management team was active at the trade deadline, moving closer Huston Street, third baseman Chase Headley and outfielder Chris Denorfia. 

Before serving as Vice President/Assistant GM with San Diego, Hinch was the manager for the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2009 to the middle of the 2010 season, when he was fired after 79 games. The Padres said Hinch was leaving the organization "to pursue other opportunities in baseball." 

- Alex Hampl