The San Diego Padres are getting serious about hiring MLB Hall of Famer Albert Pujols as their new manager.
The Padres are searching for their new manager after Mike Shildt announced his departure after the club suffered a wild-card round exit at the hands of the Chicago Cubs. Among the many candidates, one name that surprisingly popped up was Pujols.
This is interesting because Pujols has no prior managerial experience in MLB. However, he has been gaining experience in that role in other professional leagues. He managed Leones del Escogido (LIDOM) for the 2024–25 winter season. He's already appointed the manager of Team Dominican Republic for the upcoming 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC).
MLB insider signals interest from Padres for Albert Pujols
On Wednesday, USA Today's Bob Nightengale dropped a massive update regarding the Padres' looking into Albert Pujols for a potential role. The Padres brought Pujols in for a second, in-person interview. In his latest update, Nightengale hinted that the negotiations between the two parties are getting serious as the second interview lasted 9.5 hours.
The Padres have been consistently making the postseason, but they still haven't gone deep in October. They have a solid core in the form of Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., who are emerging as true leaders of the clubhouse, while rising star like Jackson Merrill also makes the Padres look solid on paper.
Pujols, who has a lot of MLB experience, is ready to step into the ring of MLB managers. It remains to be seen whether this reported interest turns into a real deal.
More Padres News:
Padres deemed potential fit to steal Phillies star in free agency
Padres have reportedly interviewed Albert Pujols again for open manager position
Padres' two-time All-Star pitcher receives $80 million contract prediction
Dylan Cease contract outlook features surprising suitors after $187 million contract prediction
Former MLB GM predicts Padres landing World Series champion pitcher in blockbuster deal