San Diego Padres Manager Mike Shildt shocked the Friar Faithful, and the baseball world, with an announcement Monday that he was stepping down and retiring from the position after back-to-back 90-win seasons
in San Diego. Shildt had a contract that would have kept him on the top step of the dugout until 2027, but in a statement to the San Diego Union Tribune , he cited the physical and emotional toll on him as his reason for leaving.
“The grind of the baseball season has taken a severe toll on me mentally, physically and emotionally. While it has always been about serving others, it’s time I take care of myself and exit on my terms.”
The Padres said in a statement the search for the next manager in San Diego will begin immediately. With that in mind, I have put together some names of managers I think the Padres SHOULD consider and some they SHOULD NOT.
The Padres SHOULD consider Benji Gil:
Gil was in the running for the managerial position in 2023 before Shildt got the job. He has major league experience and won the World Series in 2002 as a player with the then Anaheim Angels. Gil later served as a coach with the Angels and has was the manager of Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic in 2023. He is set to lead the team again in 2026. Gil attended Castle Park High School in Chula Vista and knows what a World Series title would mean to the City of San Diego.
The Padres SHOULD consider Phil Nevin:
Nevin was most recently the manager of the Los Angeles Angels in 2022 and 2023. He also coached in the New York Yankees system and he was a major league player, who spent time in San Diego. Nevin spent six-plus seasons as a Padre and is from California. Having played in San Diego, Nevin, like Gil, knows how important it is to win a championship for America’s Finest City.
The Padres SHOULD consider Ruben Niebla:
Niebla has been the pitching coach in San Diego since 2021 and was in the Cleveland Guardians organization as an assistant pitching coach prior to joining the Padres. Niebla has received rave reviews from coaches and players alike, and seems to have the support of the fans as well. There is rarely a time that the Friar Faithful voice their displeasure with the job Niebla has done since coming to San Diego. He, like Gil and Nevin, has ties to Southern California and of these three, Niebla may have the best idea of what the team needs to hoist its first World Series trophy.
The Padres SHOULD NOT consider Bruce Bochy:
Bochy was the manager for the 1998 Padres team that reached the World Series. He will always be beloved in San Diego for the time he spent here and the accomplishments he had, BUT exes are exes for a reason. Granted, a lot of time has passed since Bochy last held the title of Manager for San Diego, and yes, he has won multiple titles in San Francisco and another in Texas, but his time as a manager appears to be limited. He left the game after his time in San Francisco and was coaxed back by Chris Young and the Texas Rangers, and if he were to be given the chance to return to San Diego, I think it would result in the Padres having to do another managerial search in a couple years.
The Padres SHOULD NOT consider Ozzie Guillen:
Guillen was a candidate for the position in 2021 and was talked about in 2023, but never interviewed. His stops with the Chicago White Sox and Miami Marlins often resulted in more focus on the manager and his antics than on the team. The Padres are not that far removed from a season that was riddled with rumors and speculation about clubhouse chemistry and player and organizational relationships. I think giving Guillen the keys to the Padres roster would only result in a slow and disappointing erosion of the chemistry that seems to have been a part of the San Diego clubhouse the past two years.
The Padres SHOULD NOT consider Ryan Flaherty:
There was a lot of talk about Flaherty and his relationship with third baseman Manny Machado when he was the Padres Bench Coach. Additionally, he was a part of the 2023 coaching staff that allowed what was arguably the most talented roster in baseball to underachieve and disappoint before ultimately missing the playoffs. I will say he was not the one in charge or the one “calling the shots,” but he was a part of it just the same.
As of this writing there are eight vacant managerial positions in MLB, the Padres, Angels, Atlanta Braves, Giants, Washington Nationals, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies and Minnesota Twins. There will be a number of options and some competition for the top candidates, and San Diego should be a top job among those vacancies. The sooner San Diego makes its hire, the better, but even with urgency, the Padres need to select the right person leading the team.
