Diamondbacks Fire Manager Kirk Gibson, Bench Coach Alan Trammell

PHOENIX (AP) — The Diamondbacks fired manager Kirk Gibson three years after he won the NL's manager of the year award for leading Arizona to the playoffs.

The Diamondbacks are assured of at least a tie for the worst record in the majors this season, having lost 96 games entering the final series of the year.

"Kirk has done an admirable job under difficult circumstances," chief baseball officer Tony La Russa said in a statement. "We feel like it is time for a fresh start."

The move came as the Diamondbacks front office restructures under La Russa following a third disappointing season in a row. Arizona went 81-81 in 2013 and 2012. Former major league pitcher Dave Stewart was hired Thursday as the team's new general manager.

Bench coach Alan Trammell was also let go on Friday. Gibson joined the Diamondbacks as a bench coach in 2007 and took over as interim manager in July 2010. The Diamondbacks kept him on and the team went 94-68 to win the NL West in 2011, his first full year.

Gibson and Trammell were teammates on the 1984 Detroit Tigers team that won the franchise's most recent World Series.

Arizona fired Kevin Towers as general manager earlier this month, long after it became clear that this was a lost season.

Injuries were a big part of the problem.

Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt had his season ended after four months by a broken hand after he was hit by a pitch from Pittsburgh reliever Ernesto Frieri.

Slugger Mark Trumbo, the team's key offseason acquisition, missed about two months because of a stress fracture in his left foot, and before the season, the Diamondbacks lost starter Patrick Corbin to Tommy John surgery.

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