AJ Preller reveals unnerving reason Mike Shildt left Padres manager job

This is sickening.
San Diego Padres Introduce New Manager
San Diego Padres Introduce New Manager | Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/GettyImages

On Tuesday afternoon, Padres President of Baseball Operations AJ Preller spoke to the media for the first time since the team was bounced from the 2025 MLB playoffs.

Preller had a lot of positives to share, including looking forward to another successful 2026 season, but he also shared one very troubling and unfortunate detail. One day after Mike Shildt shockingly announced that he would vacate his managerial gig with the Padres, Preller told the media that Shildt was receiving death threats during the season.

Former Padres manager Mike Shildt was receiving death threats

Not only does this make your heart sink to your stomach, but it goes to show how cruel this world can be, especially online, through mail, or vocally while in passing. No one deserves to have their life threatened, especially someone as positive and caring as Shildt. This understandably took a toll on Shildt's mental health status, so it's no wonder why he decided to pack up and leave at just 57 years old.

The Padres now are urgently looking for Shildt's replacement, whether that be internally, externally, or with a reunion. It's important for the Friars to fill the manager role, but right now, making sure that Shildt is okay should be the priority. Preller gave the notion in the press conference that he and his personnel are taking this matter seriously. So, good on them for taking mental health status in high regard.

Mike Shildt deserved much better than to have his life threatened. That's a really sad way to go out if he decides to completely retire from the game, but no one would blame him. Hopefully, he gives coaching another chance, wherever that may be, and he is treated like a human being. That's the bare minimum, but that's apparently asking for a lot.

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