Chihuahuas Skipper Edwin Rodriguez Steps Down, Pitching Coach Takes Over as Interim Manager

The El Paso Chihuahuas announced on Thursday that manager Edwin Rodriguez will be stepping down from his spot effective immediately ahead of the six-game series against Round Rock this weekend.

Pitching coach Eric Junge is set to be the skipper for the rest of the 2021 season.

Through 42 years of baseball, Rodriguez put together a special professional and managerial career. The 61-year-old former manager spent nearly the last 20 years with four different organizations—Tampa Bay Rays (1999-02), Florida Marlins (2004-11), Cleveland Indians (2012-16) and San Diego (2017-21).

He pioneered a lot of opportunities for international managers in the league, as the first Puerto Rican-born manager in Major League Baseball history for the Marlins in 2010. He had a 78-85 (.479) record with the club. He was also the manager for the Puerto Rico national team in the 2013 and 2017 World Baseball Classic.

El Paso (36-52) is currently last in the Triple-A West (East Division) standings after a struggling year, as many of their prospects have been called up to San Diego this year. Junge will take over as the acting manager starting Thursday at 6:05 p.m. Mountain Time from Dell Diamond. He is undergoing his ninth year with the Padres and prior to this, he served as a minor league pitching coordinator, pitching instructor and advance scout.