A piece of Padres offseason news many were expecting is finally official.
Mike Shildt is going to be sticking around for a few years.
The Padres finalized a two-year extension that will keep Shildt around as the club's manager through the 2027 season. The San Diego Union-Tribune was the first to report the news.
Shildt was set to enter the back half of a two-year pact that he signed a year ago.
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It's a logical step given the success San Diego experienced in Shildt's first season at the helm. Under Bob Melvin in 2023 the Padres finished 82-80, falling short of the playoffs and well beneath expectations. Shildt slid into the top seat and orchestrated a 93-69 campaign that ended one win shy of the NLCS.
A manager known for his second-half surges, Shildt saw his team go 43-19 over its last 62 games.
The 93 victories are the second most in franchise history behind the 98-win 1998 squad.
Lead the way, Mike. pic.twitter.com/OFOhPNuSk7
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) November 6, 2024
Shildt has a consistent track record as a Major League manager. In four complete seasons his teams have made four postseason appearances. Three of those came in St. Louis. He won National League Manager of the Year in 2019. In the COVID-shortened 2020 season Shildt's Cardinals lost to the Padres in the Wild Card series. After another playoff visit in 2021 the Cardinals made the surprising decision to fire Shildt.
In total he has a win percentage of 56.3. He served as a senior adviser for two years before the Padres gave him his second opportunity to manage in the big leagues.
Padres President of Baseball Operations A.J. Preller indicated that there was interest in reaching an agreement on an extension this offseason. He also said the hope was to retain Shildt's entire coaching staff, including pitching coach and Calexico native Ruben Niebla.
