The Seidler family has been fighting over the Padres’ ownership, and that has led to many challenges for the team. Late Peter Seidler’s wife, Sheel Seidler, issued a lawsuit against her brother-in-laws for not doing their ‘fiduciary duties’. Sheel also claimed that she should manage the team as the sole beneficiary of the Seidler Trust, while Peter’s brothers replied to the lawsuit, calling it all a ‘lie’—Bob and Matt Seidler even shared that their brother Peter always had an estate plan.

This controversy has laid its impacts beyond the family, affecting the players on the team. One former MLB closer for the Padres revealed what went down behind the scenes; in a recent video interview with Kyle Glaser of Foul Territory, Heath Bell detailed what happened with Jake Peavy, Adrian Gonzalez, and Trevor Hoffman when ownership issues led the Padres to get rid of them.

Bell said, “At spring training and offseason, they’re like ‘Hey, we are gonna win this year.’ You kind of felt like the ownership was lying. So Jake Peavy gets straight into the White Sox. He has a no-trade clause and he denied it like two times in the same week. His agent finally called him and told that ’look the Padres do not want you anymore. Ownership does not want you.’” 

Bell further added that even Adrian Gonzalez’s departure was kind of the same way. Gonzalez had apparently suggested that he would take a hometown discount but not a huge one, but the San Diego Padres did not offer Adrian anything. Bell also talked about how Trevor Hoffman did not even get a chance to retire as a Padre. While Bell does not know what exactly went down between the pitcher and the ownership, rumors were that the owners would not even talk to him, let alone give him a chance. 

Ongoing lawsuits also impacted the Padres’ chances with Roki Sasaki

The San Diego Padres’ offseason is quickly becoming a saga that fans won’t forget anytime soon—whether they like it or not. It’s not just about missing out on the hottest Japanese pitching prospect, Roki Sasaki, but also the bitter family feud that has reached a boiling point. Now, according to Matt’s filing, Sheel’s timing in launching the lawsuit was, in his words, “reckless,” coming just when the Padres were deep in negotiations with Sasaki—potentially a game-changer for the team.

On the other hand, Sheel’s legal move implied that Matt and his brothers were plotting to relocate the team, something that would have been disastrous for the Padres’ relationship with Sasaki, who was already on edge about the club’s future in San Diego. So, if Sasaki’s camp caught wind of any instability, it could easily have derailed their interest in joining the Padres.

Sure enough, Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe, didn’t miss the subtle timing of it all. “It appeared oddly strategic,” Wolfe remarked, acknowledging that the legal drama couldn’t have come at a worse moment. While they decided to give the Padres space to handle the mess internally, it’s clear the family rift created a serious distraction. As much as San Diego fans wanted to see Roki Sasaki in the Friars’ rotation, the family drama may have been the ultimate curveball this offseason.