Headlines

  • Albert Pujols No Longer A Candidate In Angels’ Managerial Search
  • Giants Close To Hiring Tony Vitello As Manager
  • Latest On Tigers, Tarik Skubal
  • Phillies Expected To Trade Or Release Nick Castellanos
  • Nestor Cortes Undergoes Arm Surgery
  • Aaron Judge Will Not Require Elbow Surgery; Rodón, Volpe Expected To Start 2026 On IL
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Athletics
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Ryan Flaherty

Latest On A.J. Preller

By Darragh McDonald | October 17, 2025 at 11:29am CDT

Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller is under contract through 2026. It’s been suggested by some that he is fairly safe in his job but a report today from Dennis Lin and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic casts at least a bit of doubt on that. The report notes that an extension is possible but not guaranteed and goes into detail about some behind-the-scenes tensions between Preller and CEO Erik Greupner. The report adds that Greupner has a small stake in the team and is therefore a part owner.

The story coming out of San Diego is seemingly changing daily. The Padres lost to the Cubs in the Wild Card round but had just finished their second consecutive season winning at least 90 games. They made the playoffs for the fourth time in six years. Just last week, it was reported that Preller and manager Mike Shildt would likely return to keep the good times rolling.

But this week, Shildt surprisingly stepped down from his post. Reports then emerged of significant tumult behind the curtain, with multiple staffers having apparently had an awful time working under Shildt. Staffers from Shildt’s time with the Cardinals reported similar behavior from him at that time.

Even as the sunlight was hitting Shildt’s terrible management skills, Lin wrote that many within the Padres still expected Preller to be extended. Today’s report is a bit less firm. The report notes that some Padres employees have observed increasing tensions between Preller and Greupner.

The report notes that Preller’s preferred choice for the manager role going into 2024 was Ryan Flaherty, though it’s suggested that Greupner and special advisor Eric Kutsenda may have overruled him to tap Shildt instead. Earlier this week, Lin reported that team sources said Greupner and Kutsenda were heavily involved in Shildt’s hiring.

There has been all kinds of turnover within the Padres since Preller was hired to run the front office in 2014. The Padres were rebuilding then but, as mentioned, have emerged and been quite successful over the past six years. Those rebuilding years saw the Padres cycle through managers but even the recent on-field success hasn’t stabilized the skipper position. Jayce Tingler had the gig for 2020 and 2021 but reported clubhouse discord led to him being fired and replaced by Bob Melvin. Melvin himself lasted two years before he jumped to the Giants amid whispers of a rough relationship between him and Preller.

Peter Seidler was the owner of the club until he died in November of 2023. His death led to plenty of friction at the ownership level as well. Kutsenda was named interim control person for a while but eventually passed that title to Peter’s brother John Seidler, though there has been an ongoing legal battle about control of the club. That battle also involves Peter’s widow Sheel, as well as his brothers Matt and Bob.

It seems there’s been constant churning in the power vacuum left by Peter’s death. It’s unclear exactly how things are currently structured but Preller is working for a group that he didn’t really choose to work for and that group is working with a president of baseball operations they didn’t hire. The lack of extension for Preller could be meaningless. It could also signify that the new group isn’t as keen on him as Peter was. It could also signify that Preller isn’t thrilled with the new arrangement.

Today’s reporting from The Athletic indicates that Greupner has taken on a prominent role behind the scenes. He and Kutsenda seemingly preferred Shildt over Flaherty as they wanted to make a safe pick and stop the game of musical chairs in the dugout. Shildt was in his mid-50s and had previous managerial experience, whereas Flaherty was only 37 years old at the time and was just a few years removed from his playing days.

The attempt to stabilize the dugout didn’t work out, as Shildt is now gone. Flaherty’s name has already been connected to the Padres’ opening. Based on today’s reporting, it seems like Preller would probably like to hire Flaherty. However, it appears he may not have the ability to make a unilateral decision, based on how things went down two years ago. Perhaps the Shildt situation not playing out as hoped will earn Preller a bit more leeway to make the call this time, though that’s completely speculative.

As pointed out by The Athletic, it’s also unclear if Preller’s contract status plays a role in the managerial search. For the new skipper, you would ideally like to know that the front office leader you are working with will be around for more than one season.

Perhaps all this is much ado about nothing. It’s entirely possible that Preller is extended, maintaining continuity for a franchise that has had a lot of recent success, though like the proverbial duck which is calm above the surface and furiously kicking below. A few weeks from now, maybe Preller is secured and a new manager is hired. Whatever the path forward, the Padres should probably figure it out soon. Offseason doings are just a few weeks away and the club has a lot of work to do, as Dylan Cease, Michael King, Ryan O’Hearn, Luis Arráez and others are becoming free agents, with Robert Suarez likely to opt out as well.

Photo courtesy of Denis Poroy, Imagn Images

Share Repost Send via email

San Diego Padres A.J. Preller Mike Shildt Ryan Flaherty

193 comments

Angels Planning To Interview Torii Hunter, Kurt Suzuki For Manager

By Anthony Franco | October 16, 2025 at 8:48pm CDT

The Angels plan to interview Torii Hunter and Kurt Suzuki in their managerial search, reports Sam Blum of The Athletic. That comes less than a week after The Athletic reported that Albert Pujols was in talks for the position. Blum writes that while Pujols remains the favorite, owner Arte Moreno is now opting for a more comprehensive search.

Like Pujols, Hunter and Suzuki are former Angels players who remain affiliated with the organization. Hunter made two All-Star teams and won a pair of Gold Gloves during his run with the Halos between 2008-12. Suzuki spent the final two years of his playing career there from 2021-22. They’re now each special assistants to general manager Perry Minasian.

Neither has any MLB coaching or managerial experience. Hunter has spent nearly a decade in special assistant roles and was a candidate for the job that went to Ron Washington in 2023. Suzuki is on the radar of at least one other team this offseason, as he already interviewed with the Giants. Hunter has been very loosely floated as a potential candidate in Minnesota, where he was a star player and has previously worked as a special assistant. It’s not clear if the Twins plan to interview him.

While the three known interviewees all have ties to Moreno, they’re at least considering other possibilities. Blum lists Rangers special assistant Nick Hundley, Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty, former Orioles manager Brandon Hyde, and former Twins skipper Rocco Baldelli as other potential targets. Hundley has already interviewed with the Giants and is reportedly the favorite for that job. Flaherty has been linked to the Orioles and Padres. Neither has managed in the big leagues before.

Hyde has said he hopes to continue to manage and was linked to the Giants’ opening. Baldelli told Dan Hayes of The Athletic this week that he’s open to managing again as well, though he indicated he’ll spend the early part of the offseason focusing on his family. Baldelli acknowledged that might not align with clubs’ timelines for hiring a manager but said he “fully (expects) to stay active” in some capacity with a team next year.

It may all end up being moot if the Angels hire Pujols. That’s not as certain as it seemed just a few days ago. Perhaps not coincidentally, the future Hall of Famer is also expected to interview with the Orioles.

Share Repost Send via email

Los Angeles Angels Albert Pujols Brandon Hyde Kurt Suzuki Nick Hundley Rocco Baldelli Ryan Flaherty Torii Hunter

43 comments

Twins To Interview Nick Punto About Managerial Vacancy

By Mark Polishuk | October 15, 2025 at 3:13pm CDT

The Twins’ search for a new manager has taken them to a familiar name, as The Athletic’s Dan Hayes and Dennis Lin report that the club will be speaking with former utilityman Nick Punto.  The Padres currently employ Punto as a coach on their big league staff, and granted the Twins permission for an interview with the 14-year MLB veteran.

Seven of Punto’s seasons (2004-10) were spent in a Twins uniform, and his nickname of “the Shredder” sums up Punto’s style of play.  Despite below-average hitting numbers for his entire career, Punto enjoyed a long career based on defensive versatility, speed, and a focus on solid fundamentals.  As Hayes/Lin note, Minnesota team president Derek Falvey stressed that the next version of the Twins is “going to be a really good base running team, we’re going to be on the details, we’re going to be leaning into the fundamentals.”

On paper, this would seemingly make Punto an ideal match, plus his past ties to the Twins organization certainly help.  What Punto (who turns 48 next month) lacks in comparison to other candidates is a lot of coaching or managerial experience, certainly at the big league level.  Punto was a manager in MLB’s Prospect Development Pipeline League in 2021 and he coached at the high school level in 2023-24 before taking the job on San Diego’s staff.  Punto didn’t have a defined role with the Padres, but Hayes and Lin wrote that his duties included “working with the team’s infielders.”

Punto is the fourth candidate publicly linked to the Twins’ search for Rocco Baldelli’s successor.  Former Pirates skipper Derek Shelton is the only known candidate with MLB managerial experience, as Punto, Yankees hitting coach James Rowson, and Red Sox bench coach Ramon Vazquez would all be first-time managers (apart from Vazquez’s single game as a fill-in for Alex Cora when Cora was attending his daughter’s graduation this past May).

“Another hot name internally” for the Twins is Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty, according to Hayes and Lin, but it isn’t known if the Twins have yet been given permission to speak with Flaherty.  Already a popular name amidst the many managerial vacancies around baseball this fall, Flaherty has been cited as a likely candidate for the Padres and Orioles jobs.  Flaherty has bench coaching experience with the Cubs and Padres but would be another first-time skipper at the MLB level.

Share Repost Send via email

Minnesota Twins San Diego Padres Nick Punto Ryan Flaherty

25 comments

Ryan Flaherty Expected To Be In Mix For Orioles, Padres Managerial Searches

By Anthony Franco | October 13, 2025 at 11:03pm CDT

Mike Shildt’s decision to step down as San Diego’s manager opens an eighth vacancy around the game. Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty could be in the mix for at least a couple of those positions.

Joel Sherman of The New York Post listed Flaherty and Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla among those to keep an eye on as potential options to replace Shildt. Meanwhile, The Post’s Jon Heyman writes that Flaherty could be among the top choices for the Orioles position. (Heyman adds that Baltimore still hasn’t closed the door on giving the full-time job to Tony Mansolino, who held the role on an interim basis after Brandon Hyde was fired in May.)

Neither Flaherty nor Niebla is confirmed to have scheduled an interview. The Padres are surely in the very early stages of the process. Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that Shildt informed the team he was stepping down on Saturday.

Flaherty has ties to both the Padres and Orioles. He spent the majority of his playing career with the O’s, appearing in six seasons between 2012-17. Even though neither owner David Rubenstein nor president of baseball operations Mike Elias were part of the organization at that time, Flaherty surely has some connections to the club.

He’s also a known commodity to the San Diego front office. The 39-year-old began his coaching career with the Padres and quickly worked his way up to bench coach. He and Shildt were the top internal candidates for the managerial job after the Friars parted ways with Bob Melvin two years ago. Flaherty interviewed but was granted permission to explore other opportunities once the Padres hired Shildt. He took the bench coach role under Craig Counsell in Chicago, a job he has held for the past two seasons.

Niebla, 53, has built a reputation as one of the sport’s top pitching coaches. He was an assistant in Cleveland until landing the pitching coach job with San Diego over the 2021-22 offseason. His hiring came a few days before the Padres tabbed Melvin, and he has held the role under a pair of managers. The Friars signed Niebla to a multi-year extension last offseason.

It’s not all that common for pitching coaches to jump into managerial roles. The bench coach position is typically more of a springboard to the top gig. Still, that’s not entirely unheard of — former Cincinnati manager Bryan Price was a pitching coach both before and after his managerial stint, as one example — and the Padres’ front office clearly values Niebla’s work with the pitching staff.

Share Repost Send via email

Baltimore Orioles San Diego Padres Ruben Niebla Ryan Flaherty

34 comments

Cubs To Hire Ryan Flaherty As Bench Coach

By Darragh McDonald | November 29, 2023 at 1:25pm CDT

The Cubs are expected to name Ryan Flaherty as their bench coach, reports Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic. Until recently, Flaherty had that same job with the Padres.

Flaherty, 37, played in the majors from 2012 to 2019 but then quickly transitioned into coaching. The Padres hired him as a quality control coach prior to the 2020 season and he subsequently became bench coach and offensive coordinator going into 2023.

He is clearly a respected voice around the league, as he has received plenty of attention around the league despite only finishing his playing career a few years ago. The Mets wanted to interview him for their bench coach gig prior to 2022 but the Friars denied that request. With manager Bob Melvin departing the Padres for the Giants this offseason, Flaherty was considered a candidate for the bench boss in San Diego but that job ultimately went to Mike Shildt. Per Dennis Lin of The Athletic, Flaherty had one year left on his contract but was given permission to interview with other teams after the Shildt hiring.

It seems that Flaherty has decided to make a change after four years in San Diego. He will now jump to the Cubs, who have shaken up their staff by hiring Craig Counsell to replace David Ross as manager. Counsell will have Flaherty as his top lieutenant while the Padres will now have to make yet another hire, finding Shildt a replacement for the bench coach role.

Share Repost Send via email

Chicago Cubs San Diego Padres Ryan Flaherty

102 comments

Padres Interviewed Adrian Gonzalez During Managerial Search

By Mark Polishuk | November 23, 2023 at 5:53pm CDT

Former Padres star Adrian Gonzalez was interviewed as part of the team’s recent managerial search, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune and MLB Network’s David Vassegh.  Gonzalez made it deep into the process, with Vassegh describing him as one of three finalists for the job, along with bench coach and eventual hire Mike Shildt.

Among the known candidates, Shildt and Phil Nevin had managed at the MLB level before, while Flaherty, Carlos Mendoza (hired by the Mets as their manager) and Benji Gil had experience on Major League coaching staffs.  Gonzalez was an outlier in comparison, as he doesn’t have any experience as a manager or coach in the big leagues or even in the minors.  While most of San Diego’s candidates were former players, the 41-year-old Gonzalez brought perhaps a different perspective as not only a player, but as an established superstar during his 15-year MLB career.

This might be the first managerial search in baseball history to ever include two former first overall draft picks, between Nevin (selected first overall in 1992) and Gonzalez (in 2000).  Gonzalez lived up to that lofty potential by hitting .287/.358/.485 with 317 homers over his 8046 career plate appearances.  His resume included five All-Star appearances, four Gold Gloves, three finishes within the top seven of MVP voting, and just recently became eligible for the Cooperstown ballot since it has been five full seasons since his last Major League game.  While Gonzalez isn’t likely to receive induction to the Hall of Fame, just making the ballot is a notable recognition of an outstanding career.

This first-hand knowledge of what it takes to be a top-tier Major Leaguer might’ve had some appeal to the Padres, given the number of high-profile stars on the roster.  Given past rumblings about tumult within the San Diego clubhouse, the Padres might’ve seen Gonzalez as an interesting candidate as perhaps something of both a boss and a peer for San Diego’s players, given that Gonzalez’s playing career only recently wrapped.  President of baseball operations A.J. Preller also has a long history with Gonzalez, as the first baseman broke into the big leagues with the Rangers in 2004 just when Preller had been hired to join the Texas front office.

It makes for an interesting what-if within the Padres’ managerial hunt, and it remains to be seen if Gonzalez might seek out further coaching or managerial opportunities in the future, whether with the Padres or another organization.  This job had obvious specific appeal to Gonzalez because he was born in San Diego and because he played with the Padres from 2006-10.

With Shildt now hired, attention will turn to the coaching staff.  The Athletic’s Dennis Lin writes that pitching coach Ruben Niebla and bullpen coach Ben Fritz are likely to remain, though Fritz interviewed for the Angels’ pitching coach job that eventually went to Barry Enright.  The third base coach and associate manager’s position are both open after the departures of Matt Williams and Ryan Christenson, and it might be interesting to see how whether the “associate manager” role remains at all, or if it was somewhat unique to the division of duties between Christenson and Flaherty.

Shildt has been working for the Padres for the last two years, so it isn’t as if he is an entirely new skipper coming in and wanting to install his own staff.  That said, Lin isn’t sure if Flaherty (who is both the bench coach and offensive coordinator) could be back after coming up shy in the managerial search.  This uncertainty might also extend to first base coach David Macias, who Lin describes as close with Flaherty and possibly also a candidate to leave if Flaherty isn’t back in 2024.  Lin also notes that Shildt isn’t expected to make any coaching hires from the Cardinals, his longtime former team before his arrival in San Diego.

Share Repost Send via email

San Diego Padres Adrian Gonzalez Ruben Niebla Ryan Flaherty

65 comments

Padres Interview Phil Nevin In Managerial Search

By Anthony Franco | November 9, 2023 at 9:57pm CDT

The Padres interviewed former Angels manager Phil Nevin yesterday, report Dennis Lin and Britt Ghiroli of the Athletic (X link). San Diego continues to search for Bob Melvin’s replacement in the dugout.

Nevin managed a season and a half in Anaheim. He took over on an interim basis when the Angels dismissed Joe Maddon in June 2022. The Halos signed Nevin to a one-year extension at the beginning of last offseason. After a second consecutive 73-89 finish, the Angels declined an option to retain him for 2024. They tabbed Ron Washington as their new skipper yesterday.

In addition to that managerial stint in Orange County, Nevin has a long track record as a coach. He spent a year as the third base coach for the Giants, held the same position with the Yankees for five seasons, and was the Halos’ third base coach before replacing Maddon. The Fullerton product has plenty of ties to the San Diego organization. He played for the Padres between 1999-2005, twice securing down-ballot MVP votes during that run.

While Nevin’s interview indicates he’s a legitimate candidate for the San Diego job, he may be behind a pair of internal options. Bench coach Ryan Flaherty and senior advisor Mike Shildt interviewed early in the process. Jon Heyman of the New York Post wrote this evening that Shildt is the favorite for the position.

Share Repost Send via email

San Diego Padres Mike Shildt Phil Nevin Ryan Flaherty

48 comments

Padres Considering David Ross For Managerial Opening

By Leo Morgenstern | November 6, 2023 at 8:31pm CDT

With the shocking news that long-time Brewers manager Craig Counsell signed a five-year, $40MM contract with the Cubs, a new managerial free agent entered the fray: David Ross. The freshly fired former Cubs manager should be an intriguing candidate for those teams still in need of a skipper, and indeed, at least one club is already interested. Per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Padres are “considering adding Ross to their candidate pool” for the position left vacant by Bob Melvin, who recently traveled north for a job with the Giants.

Before the game of managerial musical chairs began on Monday, the Padres and president of baseball operations A.J. Preller had reportedly narrowed down their search to four finalists: senior advisor to player development and major leagues Mike Shildt, bench coach and offensive coordinator Ryan Flaherty, Angels infield coach Benji Gil, and Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza. According to Acee, the team wasn’t planning to interview any further candidates; their next manager would be one of Shildt, Flaherty, Gil, or Mendoza.

However, with Ross now available, along with the news that the Mets have hired Mendoza to be their next manager, the Padres could be inclined to reconsider their options. After all, Preller has a well-documented history of changing his mind. Acee mentions several surprise hires the executive made during his tenure with the Padres, including former managers Andy Green and Jayce Tingler.

Of Shildt, Flaherty, and Gil, only Shildt has genuine managerial experience; he took over from Mike Matheny as the Cardinals manager in 2018, steering the team for the next four years. St Louis had a winning record in all four of his seasons at the helm, making the playoffs in the final three. Shildt was fired due to “philosophical differences” with president of baseball operations John Mozeliak, but he seems to be on the same page with the front office in San Diego. He has spent the past two years working in the organization, and evidently, they are happy with the work he has done. 

Still, if the Padres are looking for a seasoned manager to replace Melvin, one of the most experienced skippers in the game, Ross presents an intriguing alternative. He has spent the past four years with the Cubs, leading the team through a mini-rebuild and out the other side. By all indications, the Cubs were largely happy with his performance. At his end-of-season presser, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer praised his then-manager for the clubhouse culture he fostered. Indeed, if it weren’t for Counsell hitting the open market, the Cubs would almost certainly have stuck with Ross in 2024.

Share Repost Send via email

San Diego Padres Benji Gil Carlos Mendoza David Ross Mike Shildt Ryan Flaherty

52 comments

Ryan Flaherty, Mike Shildt Receive Interviews For Padres’ Managerial Vacancy

By Darragh McDonald | October 26, 2023 at 2:29pm CDT

The Padres recently gave manager Bob Melvin permission to pursue a job with the Giants, which quickly resulted in Melvin making the switch and signing a three-year deal. Now the Padres have their own managerial vacancy to deal with.

It was immediately speculated that bench coach Ryan Flaherty and senior advisor Mike Shildt were the top internal options and that seems to have been borne out this week. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports that Shildt was interviewed Wednesday, with Flaherty scheduled to have his own interview on Friday. But it won’t be just those two getting consideration, as Acee says it’s likely pitching coach Ruben Niebla will be in the mix, in addition to external candidates.

“I think we’ll sit down with some internal candidates the next few days, but we’re going to make sure we exhaust all the different possibilities to get the right choice. There’s no real timeframe,” president of A.J. Preller tells Acee. “It’s a big offseason for us. We’ve got a lot of decisions to make. This is the first one. We want to try to get it right.”

Flaherty, 37, joined the Padres in November of 2019 as quality control coach. In January of 2022, the Mets were interested in him for their vacant bench coach position, but the Padres denied that club permission to interview him. That perhaps indicates the Padres are quite fond of Flaherty and they made him bench coach in San Diego a year later. He doesn’t have managerial experience but is clearly well respected around the game, having garnered plenty of interest since retiring as a player.

Shildt, 55, managed the Cardinals from 2018 to 2021 but was surprisingly dismissed after clashing with the front office. He then joined the Padres in a player development role but has expressed an interest in returning to the dugout at some point.

Niebla, 51, has been around the game for some time, having served as a coach in the minor leagues for many years. He was hired by the Padres to be their pitching coach after the 2021 season. It’s unknown if the club is interested in interviewing him but Acee relays that Niebla has previously expressed an interesting in managing.

It’s unknown which external candidates will be considered or how long the Padres plan to take to make a hire, but it seems they don’t have a strict timeline based on Preller’s comments. It’s a key offseason for the club, who will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2023 season. The club had a run differential of +104, which was actually third best in the National League and miles better than the -15 of the pennant-winning Diamondbacks. But the Padres went 9-23 in one-run games and 2-12 in extra innings, causing them to fall just shy of the playoffs.

Reports emerged after the season of discord between Preller and Melvin. While they initially planned to work together again in 2024, the Giants came calling and it seems the Padres did little to stand in the way of Melvin jumping to the Giants. They received no compensation for Melvin’s departure, apparently content to get his $4MM salary off the books and start fresh with a new skipper. The Friars have a number of high-priced veterans and will surely be motivated to win while those players are still in/near their primes. It’s also their final season before Juan Soto departs via free agency, though other teams figure to call and talk trades, especially with the Padres looking to cut some costs.

Share Repost Send via email

San Diego Padres Mike Shildt Ruben Niebla Ryan Flaherty

98 comments

Latest On Padres’ Managerial Situation

By Anthony Franco | October 23, 2023 at 5:55pm CDT

The possibility of a managerial change in San Diego rose back to the forefront yesterday, as the Padres granted permission for the Giants to speak with Bob Melvin. The three-time Manager of the Year, who’s familiar with both the Bay Area and San Francisco president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi from his long stint with the A’s, now seems a strong candidate to leave San Diego for a division rival.

Melvin is under contract with the Padres for next season. As a result, the Friars could require compensation to approve him taking the job elsewhere. Dennis Lin of the Athletic writes that the Padres may not demand more than a marginal return to allow the veteran skipper to depart, however.

That’s a reflection of the apparently strained relationship between Melvin and baseball operations leader A.J. Preller. Multiple late-season reports indicated there was a strong divide between the two. San Diego ownership clearly doesn’t believe the situation had become untenable. After a meeting between Preller, Melvin and chairman Peter Seidler, the organization announced a few weeks ago that Melvin would return. However, the Giants’ interest could afford San Diego a fresh start while clearing Melvin’s $4MM salary. Had he been fired, the Padres would’ve remained on the hook for the money.

If Melvin heads to San Francisco, the Padres have a few internal candidates to take his place. Bench coach Ryan Flaherty and senior advisor Mike Shildt seem the likeliest options. In a piece at The Athletic, Britt Ghiroli and Lin write that the 37-year-old Flaherty is highly regarded within the organization and seemingly has a strong relationship with Preller. As a result, they suggest the former Orioles infielder appears the top internal option.

By contrast, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune casts Shildt as the in-house potential favorite. The 55-year-old has prior MLB managerial experience, having led the Cardinals from midway through 2018 until he was dismissed after the ’21 season due to what St. Louis called “philosophical differences” with the front office. (Flaherty’s only managerial experience consisted of a two-week interim stint in 2022 while Melvin was recovering from surgery.) Shildt has spent the last two years working with Preller’s front office and has been open about his hope for another managerial position.

Both The Athletic and the Union-Tribune suggest San Diego could also consider external opportunities. It’s too soon to say with certainty that Melvin is even departing, much less the position will come down to Flaherty or Shildt. Given the Giants’ stated goal of finalizing their hire before the start of free agency, there figures to be a resolution within the relatively near future.

Share Repost Send via email

San Diego Padres San Francisco Giants Bob Melvin Mike Shildt Ryan Flaherty

48 comments
Load More Posts
Show all
    Top Stories

    Albert Pujols No Longer A Candidate In Angels’ Managerial Search

    Giants Close To Hiring Tony Vitello As Manager

    Latest On Tigers, Tarik Skubal

    Phillies Expected To Trade Or Release Nick Castellanos

    Nestor Cortes Undergoes Arm Surgery

    Aaron Judge Will Not Require Elbow Surgery; Rodón, Volpe Expected To Start 2026 On IL

    Anthony Volpe Undergoes Shoulder Surgery

    Alex Bregman Will Opt Out Of Red Sox Contract

    Mike Shildt Steps Down As Padres Manager

    Tigers Extended Manager A.J. Hinch Earlier This Season

    Munetaka Murakami To Be Posted This Offseason

    Cody Bellinger To Opt Out Of Contract With Yankees

    Angels, Albert Pujols Discussing Managerial Deal

    Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026

    Rangers Hire Skip Schumaker As Manager

    Albert Pujols To Interview For Angels’ Managerial Vacancy, May Be “Leading Choice”

    Bill Schmidt Will Not Return As Rockies’ GM

    Brian Snitker Will Not Return As Braves’ Manager In 2026

    Angels To Have New Manager In 2026

    Rays Sale To Patrick Zalupski’s Group Officially Completed

    Recent

    Trade Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat, Today 2pm CT

    Shelby Miller Undergoes Elbow Surgery

    Albert Pujols No Longer A Candidate In Angels’ Managerial Search

    Padres To Interview Albert Pujols In Managerial Search

    Monday Night Hockey Broadcasts EXCLUSIVELY on Amazon Prime! (Sponsored)

    Marlins Interested In Devin Williams

    Bo Porter Hoping For Another Managerial Opportunity

    Submit Your Questions For This Week’s Episode Of The MLBTR Podcast

    The Opener: ALCS, Giants, Rockies

    Foster Griffin Looking To Return To MLB In Free Agency

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Every MLB Trade In July
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android App Store Google Play

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Tim Dierkes' MLB Mailbag
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version