Mike Shildt has announced his retirement from managing the San Diego Padres, days after the club couldn't make it through the Chicago Cubs in the wildcard round. The decision was announced on Monday and has caught many by surprise.
Shildt joined the Padres in 2022 in a player development role. When the 2022 season started, he was also the interim third base coach as Matt Williams had hip surgery during spring training. After Bob Melvin took the job with the San Francisco Giants, the Padres promoted him to manager.
Many are wondering what could be the reason for his surprising resignation. We've got the contents of the resignation letter where Shildt shared the reason behind his departure.
Why Mike Shildt retired from managerial duties with Padres?
In the resignation letter from Mike Shildt, the manager said he had contemplated the decision over the last 10 days. He laments that he couldn't achieve the dream seen by the late owner, Peter Seidler, to bring a World Series to Petco Park. However, he is proud of what his team was able to achieve under him, thanking players, coaching staff and the front office.
Shildt also shared the reason behind his decision. He wrote:
"The grind of the baseball season has taken a severe toll on me mentally, physically and emotionally. While it has always been about serving others, it's time I take care of myself and exit on my terms."
Shildt expressed his gratitude towards the Seidler family, Erik Greupner, AJ Preller and staff. He expressed pride in leaving “things in a better place.”
The former NL Manager of the Year finished his tenure with the Padres, setting a .565 record in 324 total games. In 2024, his Padres were defeated by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS. This season, they lost in the NL Wild Card series.