A.J. Preller’s current contract with the Padres runs through the end of the 2026 season, but it appears as though Preller will the team’s president of baseball operations for quite a longer time to come. The Athletic’s Dennis Lin reports that Preller and team chairman John Seidler have had some talks about a new multi-year contract extension, and that deal could be officially in place within the next few days. Club sources tell Lin that the team wants Preller’s new contract completed by Monday, when the team is set to introduce new manager Craig Stammen during a press conference.
The news isn’t surprising, as the Padres have enjoyed a lot of success during Preller’s 11-plus years in charge of the front office. However, a report from Lin and Ken Rosenthal from a few weeks ago cast some doubt on Preller’s long-term future in San Diego, due to some apparent tension between Preller and team CEO Erik Greupner. Preller downplayed any issue, telling Lin and Rosenthal that “Erik and I have been together my entire time here and enjoy a strong and productive working relationship,” though
The Padres gave Greupner a contract extension in late 2024, and around that same time, former manager Mike Shildt had also received a new deal covering the 2026-27 seasons. There was curiosity over San Diego extending two notable organizational figures beyond Preller’s own tenure, plus Greupner and special advisor Eric Kutsenda reportedly pushed for Shildt’s hiring over Preller’s reported choice of Ryan Flaherty as the team’s latest manager. In addition, Preller’s own hands-on approach to overseeing all facets of the organization has led to some criticisms about micro-management, and has possibly been a contributing factor to the revolving door in the manager’s office during Preller’s tenure.
If Preller is indeed nearing the finish line on a new extension, it would appear whatever disputes might’ve existed behind the scenes have been settled for now, and the team will press on ahead with Preller and new skipper Stammen now leading the charge to finally get the Padres back to the World Series. Preller’s tenure has been marked by a lot of internal drama, managerial changes, big-ticket acquisitions, and a rebuild, yet the end result has been a steady diet of October baseball in San Diego.
The Padres have five winning records and four playoff appearances in the last six seasons, and the team made it as deep as the NLCS in 2022. Petco Park attendance and local TV ratings have gone through the roof due to this run of success, helping fund a payroll that exploded under former owner Peter Seidler. While the Padres have cut back on the spending to some extent since Seidler’s death in 2023, Preller’s penchant for bold acquisitions have helped keep the team in position to keep contending with both its established core (i.e. Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr.) and some newer faces (i.e. Mason Miller, Nick Pivetta) joining the ride.
how!
Probably by having a dialogue.
Lin, is that you?
I give Preller an A-…. Drew Pomeranz and Leo De Vries enter the chat…. Ok only a B+.
Preller will make himself GM/manager in 2 years.
Padres definitely need to keep Preller. From 1969 to 2014 before he was hired, the Padres had 12 postseason wins. With Preller they have 13 postseason wins since 2020. It’s nearly impossible to pass the Dodgers, but they at least make it exciting thanks to Preller.
Agree. To replace Preller when the team is in the midst of their most successful stretch in franchise history all while selling out 89% of their home games would be strange to say the least.
I mean, you can’t really make an apples-to-apples comparison between those two eras. There were only 2 playoff spots per league for the first 25 years of Padres history. Then 4 playoff spots for the next 18.. The year San Diego won most of its playoff games in the Preller era, they were the #5 seed.
But if you insist on comparing the pre and post-Preller playoff records: Pre-Preller, San Diego had 2 NLCS appearances and won both. Under Preller, they’ve made it once, and lost.
@Vegas
The Padres have the lowest winning percentage lifetime of all teams in baseball, at least last I checked. It wasn’t the lack of playoff spots keeping them out. They have been bad for more years than not in their existence.
Sustained winning, and sustained relevance to the level it has happened under Preller, simply hasn’t happened at any other point in Padre history. The closest parallel is 2004-2007, when they had four straight winning seasons, including two division titles (notwithstanding that 2005 was an all-time weak year for the NL West).
It’s a ridiculous analogy from Preller’s loyal defenders. The Padres had invested a lot in Preller 11 years and achieved nothing in the same period. The Rays, Royals, Brewers, Phillies, Mariners, Blue Jays, Orioles and a bunch of other teams had reached the World Series and AL/NL Championship Series. Preller had done nothing special; he had underperformed. Preller fans are acting like they’re some sort of underdog like the Rays/Brewers. The Padres had enough money and talent to reach the NLDS-NLCS-WS constantly and had underperformed constantly. They had had about 20 managers in 11years.
“Dodgers and friends baseball league
achieved nothing”
Trolls gonna troll
What has Preller achieved that the other teams I mentioned haven’t with a smaller payroll? 11 years and one NLCS appearance for preller, that’s a failure.
The Brewers, Cubs, Braves, Mets, Phillies, Cardinals, Nationals, Giants and D-Backs have all reached the NLCS at least once in the last 11 years. With that payroll, Preller has underperformed.
“achieved nothing”
Trolls gonna troll
An extension indicates that ownership lined good attendance and is fine with second place finishes.
When Preller had money he spent it. People can argue whether it was spent wisely or not but he’s had them in contention almost every year. He’s filled the stands and taken some big swings on trades. Let’s face it I’ve taken some shots at him from time to time but nobody hits all the time. So I think he’s earned an extension, More so than Hoyer anyway. Although Hoyer has been basically the same so it was kind of fitting they hooked up in the Playoffs. I say why not. I’m just kind of wondering how happy he is with the ownership situation and if that falls apart maybe he looks or greener pastures. Should be interesting. There are worse guys out there. I say that as a Cub fan so…………
AJ gonna run through 20 managers by the time he’s gone
Good move…
Great news! Let’s go SD
I can remember talking to AJ the year he was hired. I had no idea who he was. He just showed up to our pick up basketball game lol.
What a nice guy and didn’t advertise his job title at all. Just a regular Baller, who had a very good game and was simply “one of the guys.”
Maybe not all agree but I think he’s done an amazing job keeping the Padres in contention all this time.
There’s been way too many years that the Padres have been irrelevant and that’s not the case in recent history thanks to this man.
” can remember talking to AJ the year he was hired. I had no idea who he was. He just showed up to our pick up basketball game lol.
What a nice guy and didn’t advertise his job title at all. Just a regular Baller, who had a very good game and was simply “one of the guys.””
How’d you figure out who be was?
Good executive. Having had much bigger budgets to work with sure aided him too over the years
I am unironically glad to see it. The Chargers fired AJ Smith, who made them relevant. Glad to see the Padres not making the same mistake.
The team that will need to graduate more of its farm system to the MLB roster in the future is smart to let the man with unparalleled ability to build farm systems keep the job. He’ll just have to tear it down less often.
Oh God please no!