Padres Rumors: Juan Soto trade, Corbin Burnes, staff changes

Padres Rumors: What does bench coach Ryan Flaherty's departure say about the organization?

After losing out on the Padres' managerial vacancy to former NL Manager of the Year Mike Shildt, Friars bench coach Ryan Flaherty has reportedly been hired away from the Padres to the Cubs as bench coach under Craig Counsell. Ever since Ken Rosenthal and Dennis Lin's exposé in the Athletic, which accused the Padres of a "shaky foundation and 'institutional failure,'" and then manager Bob Melvin's departure just a month later, and then the revelation that the Padres took out a $50 million loan to take care of their debts this year, eyes have been on San Diego's front office. Shildt's hiring was met mostly positively by outsiders, but Lin has suggested that not everyone is thrilled, including Manny Machado, about his elevation to manager. Besides, a managerial hiring doesn't exactly fix what is allegedly an organization-wide issue.

Flaherty's departure could be something like a middle finger to the team that chose not to promote him, but could it also be an indication that little is being done to address the team's leadership or structure under AJ Preller? Clearly, whatever formula the Padres thought they had cracked with their slew of superstar signings didn't work, and now they're doubling back and trying to cut payroll in order to bring in cheaper players to fill in gaps. The front office is obviously working through some shake ups, which doesn't bode incredibly well given the amount of work the team has to do this offseason.

More Padres news from Friars on Base