MLB insider doesn’t think Albert Pujols is a guarantee as Padres’ next manager

The San Diego Padres hosted MLB Hall of Famer and World Series Champion Albert Pujols for his second interview for the vacant manager position, a meeting that lasted a whopping nine and a half hours. While this seems like an excellent sign for the 45-year-old, there are critics who believe that this may just be smoke.

The New York Post’s Jon Heyman believes that Pujols is “no-shoo in” for the managerial opening in San Diego, and that multiple executives within the organization prefer Ryan Flaherty, the Chicago Cubs bench coach.

MLB insider pumps the brakes on Albert Pujols as Padres’ next manager

Pujols also received interest from the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Angels, but both clubs settled on other candidates. The Angels inked former MLB catcher Kurt Suzuki on a one-year deal, aligning his contract with president of baseball operations Perry Minasian, whose deal is set to expire at the end of the 2026 season.

Baltimore agreed to terms with Cleveland Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz. The contract details are not yet available.

The two other clubs involved in the Pujols sweepstakes went in opposite directions, as Baltimore hired the candidate with coaching experience while Los Angeles chose the candidate with experience as a player.

A.J. Preller is facing the same dilemma with his decision, as he could either go with the player with a stacked résumé or the assistant coach that sent his team home in the postseason this year. However, the list doesn’t end there, as Nick Hundley, a former Padre, is also turning heads as a potential candidate.

Preller may also hire from within the organization, as Ruben Niebla, the pitching coach under Mike Shildt, has been offered an interview for the position.

The Padres have one of the most attractive openings, as they have a star core of players under contract through 2030 and beyond — Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, and Jackson Merrill. Finding the right person to lead them isn’t going to be easy, as there are plenty of great candidates to decide from.