Seidler Family Turmoil and Front Office Instability Are Threatening Padres' Future: Column

Maren Angus-Coombs | Jan 24, 2025

Oct 15, 2022; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler celebrates defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers during game four of the NLDS for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images / Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

The death of a loved one can impact a family in ways that are hard to believe sometimes. While it's common for families to become closer while grieving, there are circumstances that sometimes drive families further apart.

That is what appears to be happening to the Seidler family as they continue to grieve the loss of Peter Seidler, the former owner and chairman of the San Diego Padres.

Seidler passed away in November 2023 and since then, the team has been feeling the pressure to trim payroll where it can but still honor the memory and legacy of their beloved owner.

The organization has been thrown into turmoil rather than executing the Padres' original plan. Instead of building a roster designed for postseason success, players are opting to sign elsewhere, pointing to instability in the front office as a key factor in their decision.

More news: Padres Ownership Turmoil May Have Pushed Roki Sasaki to Sign With Dodgers

Sheel Seidler, the widow of Peter, sued brothers-in-law Matthew and Robert, attempting to prevent another brother, John, from taking control of the team rather than her.

The lawsuit came at an inopportune time as the Padres were a finalist in the Roki Sasaki sweepstakes. Sasaki ultimately chose to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers and told reporters Wednesday at Dodger Stadium that "the No. 1 thing that stood out was the stability of the front office."

Stability in the front office is something the Padres definitely don't have at the moment.

The instability reared its ugly head again Thursday when fan-favorite Jurickson Profar reportedly agreed to a contract with the Atlanta Braves. The outfielder made it clear earlier this winter that he wanted to remain in San Diego.

The Peter Seidler Trust issued a statement calling the suit “entirely without merit.”

“Peter had a clear estate plan,” the statement said. “The plan specifically named three of his nine siblings, with whom he had worked closely for many decades, as successor trustees of his trust and Peter himself prohibited Sheel from ever serving as trustee.”

The family drama that has ensued appears to be a he-said, she-said situation with each side releasing statements denying the other's claims.

For now, the only thing that seems to be clear is that the Seidler family is not following through with Peter's plan. Instead, they have gone completely off the rails and are pushing players away from San Diego rather than bringing them in.

More news: Padres Lose All-Star Jurickson Profar to Braves in Blockbuster Signing