Manny Machado gets honest about San Diego Padres ownership turmoil

The San Diego Padres have been in turmoil this offseason, with off-field issues at the top of the chain. Following the death of owner Peter Seidler in Nov. 2023, an ownership dispute has sparked over who should have the controlling power.

This has influenced the Padres' offseason decisions as the team did not make any signings until Tuesday, when they re-signed catcher Elias Díaz for one year at $3.5 million.

Manny Machado, revered as a clubhouse leader, shared his honest take on everything going wrong with the franchise. However, he remains hopeful that the dispute will be resolved soon.

"Peter was very close to me, and I’m very close to the Seidler family. It’s something you don’t want to see as an organization, and hopefully, things get resolved, and we get back on track," Machado told reporters.

Seidler’s vision for the Padres was to win multiple championships and maintain a top-tier roster, Machado asserted.

"It’s sad not to see that happening, but our job is to go out there and perform," he added.

The San Diego third baseman also voiced frustration over the team’s lack of moves this winter.

"Are we disappointed we haven’t made any moves? Yeah, I think, as a team, we look at it, and we’re a little disappointed that we let some of the core guys go elsewhere," Machado said. "But at the end of the day, we can’t control that."

As a player, Machado can only do so much when there's a problem within the top management.

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What is going on with the Padres ownership conflict?

Peter Seidler's widow, Sheel Kamal Seidler, is suing her brothers-in-law for not letting her take control of the San Diego Padres team and guide it as her late husband would have wanted.

At the same time, Seidler's brothers, Matt and John, challenge Sheel's assertions, stating that Peter did not designate her as his successor. Additionally, Matt accuses Sheel of timing her lawsuit to hinder the franchise's opportunity to sign top international free agent Roki Sasaki.

“During a crucial time when Padres management was in late negotiation stages with a star pitcher, Sheel’s lawsuit recklessly suggested that Matt and his brothers were plotting to relocate the Padres elsewhere,” the court filing read via The Athletic.

Amid the ownership struggles, the Padres' controlling owner, John Seidler, will be sworn in next week, as the vote is scheduled for other MLB owners to complete the formality.