Mike Shildt is out in San Diego.
The 57-year-old veteran supervisor knowledgeable the Padres on Monday that he can be retiring forward of the 2026 season regardless of being invited again to helm the membership alongside president of baseball operations A.J. Preller. Shildt cited “a toll on his well being” as a motive for his abrupt retreat.
It is a surprising improvement for San Diego, which is coming off consecutive postseason appearances — each beneath Shildt’s management. The Padres received 90 video games in 2025 earlier than dropping in three video games to the Chicago Cubs within the wild-card spherical. In 2024, Shildt led the membership to a 93-69 document and almost toppled the Los Angeles Dodgers within the NLDS, however finally dropped that sequence in 5 video games. With a brand new dugout chief now wanted for 2026, who might the Padres flip to for Shildt’s substitute? Listed below are just a few potential candidates.
Mike Shildt substitute choices for Padres
Ron Washington
That is an intriguing match. Washington was the Texas Rangers supervisor whereas Preller was of their entrance workplace in the course of the early 2010s. Subsequently, the 2 have a working relationship courting again not less than a decade. Washington, who was fired from his submit as supervisor of the Los Angeles Angels regardless of well being points, could possibly be a pure chief for a win-now Padres crew if he is searching for one other probability to steer a membership in 2026.
Chris Woodward
One other coach with ties to the Texas Rangers group, Woodward did not overlap with Preller in Arlington, however he could possibly be in line for a second probability to steer a membership after a disastrous first managerial tenure between 2019 and 2022. That was hardly Woodward’s fault, nonetheless, because the Rangers descended right into a rebuild beneath his watch.
Woodward is at present serving because the Los Angeles Dodgers first base coach as they try to repeat as World Collection champions in 2025. He had been working within the group’s entrance workplace earlier than that. As a coach who has clearly seen what it takes to win and with extra expertise to work with, Woodward could possibly be an under-the-radar candidate for the Padres.
Scott Servais
Servais is a long-time Preller confidant, courting again to their Texas Rangers days (very similar to Ron Washington). He has since joined forces with Preller in San Diego after a nine-year stint as supervisor of the Seattle Mariners.
Most notably, Servais managed the 2022 Mariners to a playoff berth, ending a playoff drought of over 20 years in Seattle. With the crew lacking the postseason in 2023 and 2024, nonetheless, Servais was fired in favor of Dan Wilson, who has the Mariners on this yr’s American League Championship Collection. Wilson’s success ought to make the Padres surprise if Servais is minimize out for his or her emptiness, although, regardless of the familiarity side.
