Matt Stairs has signed a minor league contract to play for the San Diego Padres. (Chris Carlson/Associated Press)

Fredericton's Matt Stairs has signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres, potentially delaying his retirement from Major League Baseball for another year.

Stairs, 41, wasn't resigned by the Philadelphia Phillies at the end of last season just a year after he helped them win the World Series.

On Saturday, the left-handed hitter was called by the San Diego Padres to try out for the National League team.

"All of a sudden I got the phone call, San Diego wants to sign you to a one year deal: do you want to take it?" Stairs said.

"I was in shock because I was probably going to announce my retirement this week."

Stairs hit .194 with five home runs in 129 plate appearances, primarily as a pinch-hitter, for the Phillies last season.

If Stairs is able to crack the Padres' roster he will have suited up for 12 different major league teams. That would tie him for the most in MLB history with pitchers Mike Morgan and Ron Villone.

Stairs broke into the major leagues in 1992 with the Montreal Expos. He holds a lifetime .264 batting average with 259 career homeruns and 881 runs batted in.

Stairs said he has been working on slimming down over the winter and he now weighs less than 200 pounds for the first time in 15 years.

He said he's hoping his weight loss will help him compete with the younger players on the team.