Padres News: AJ Preller Responds to Reports Of Strained Relationship with Bob Melvin

A.J. Preller considers Bob Melvin as a friend.

After the San Diego Padres gave Bob Melvin permission to interview with the San Francisco Giants, it further shined another light on what has been a reportedly strained relationship between the manager and head of baseball operations A.J. Preller.

Preller had denied anything was wrong with his relationship with Melvin.

“From my standpoint, a lot’s been overblown,” Preller said of his relationship with Melvin. “I think when we talk about reports (that) we don’t speak — we’re talking four or five times a day. Personally, I think we have a friendship.”

Via The Athletic

Reports have already contradicted Preller's claims with some saying the two would talk only a few times a week at most.

Dennis Lin suggested in The Athletic that the Padres were secretly waiting for the Giants to call so Preller wouldn't need to fire yet another manager, his sixth in a decade. That would also get the organization off the hook for Melvin's $4 million salary in 2024.

However, another spin on all of this... maybe the Padres’ organization wants to be nice to their manager Melvin. If he wants to return to the Bay Area, the organization will permit him to do so. Preller could find another manager. 

Melvin successfully managed the Oakland Athletics for ten years and is a three time Manager of the Year. 

But with today's news that Melvin will be hired by the Giants, it appears things have truly run their course down in San Diego. How much of that is on Bob Melvin versus A.J. Preller whose next manager will be his sixth in just about a decade.