The San Diego Padres’ ownership saga is far from over, but the recent statement from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred just gave a ray of hope to the fans.

The month-long ownership battle has left the fans wondering if the Seidler family is selling off the franchise, but that’s not a solution as per Manfred. His statement comes during the Major League Baseball Owners meeting on Thursday, where it was unanimously decided to let the brother of the late Peter Seidler, John, act as the control person of the San Diego franchise.

Well, it might not end the ownership lawsuits, but fans can expect a level of stability in their daily baseball operations. Even though the lawsuit between Peter Seidler’s widow and his brothers doesn’t involve baseball activities, it is indirectly affected by a lack of focus from the owners and a restricted flow of funds. So how are the financial constraints looming around the Padres, and what other options do they have other than selling off?

Financial issues looming over the Padres

The San Diego Padres’ financial issues are getting amplified with time. As per the latest reports, the Padres GM is asked to work on a limited payroll for this year, which led to their below-par offseason. No big names were being signed by the team this offseason; rather, they have traded away a few of their prized possessions to free up financial resources.

However, the Padres had no issues in terms of their on-field activities. They won 93 games last season and just fell short in front of the Dodgers to get the NLDS, and this performance came despite their tight budget of $163 million last year. This year, the payroll limitation is still evident, leaving the Padres gasping for going big this offseason. 

“I think as a team we kind of look up there, and you’re a little disappointed that we let some of the guys that were a core group here kind of go elsewhere,” said the third baseman, Manny Machado. Machado’s words echo a sentiment many fans share. This shows how the team unwillingly let their top guys go somewhere else to gain financial viability. Contrary to their yesteryear owner Peter Seidler’s aggressive approach to getting big names to the team and offering fatter paychecks, the Padres now are a thing of the past. With the brothers and widow of Peter involved in lawsuits, it is now least expected that any of them can be more focused on the team operation. So what’s left ahead?

Sale is the worst-case scenario 

With the San Diego Padres caught up in ownership issues and failing to field a contending team this year, fans are hoping that the Siedler family will let go of the team and a new owner is just about to enter. However, the MLB commissioner thinks otherwise. “There has not been a single word or whisper of relocation in the context of the San Diego Padres… not a realistic concern,” he said post the owners’ meeting. For the uninformed, the Padres ranked 3rd best team in terms of fan attendance last year, and their TV rights also got them $32 million. This shows that the ownership issue has not taken a toll on the Padres’ popularity, and there are no business reasons for the owners to sell.

While Manfred debunked the rumor of the Padres getting sold, it is understandably the worst-case option for the Seidler family. Reportedly, the Seidler family holds a 45% stake in the team, where they have scope to get some deep-pocketed minor stakeholders. This can ensure the steady flow of funds to the team. Keeping the internal ownership away from the team’s operation is the need of the hour for the Padres and can be done with a new investor focusing on field activities. 

The 2025 offseason is about to end, and there’s little hope that the Padres can achieve anything bigger this year, but they can pave the way to success targeting the 2026 season. 

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