On Tuesday, the San Diego Padres announced Mike Shildt as their new manager. Shildt will take over for Bob Melvin, who departed the team last month to become manager of the San Francisco Giants.
Shildt agreed to terms with the Padres on a two-year contract. It will be his second stint as manager of an MLB team, having previously led the St. Louis Cardinals from 2018 to 2021.
Shildt has led the Cardinals to three playoff berths and one NL Central title during his tenure with the team. After concluding the season with a 91-71 record, he was voted the National League Manager of the Year in 2019.
Shildt was fired after the 2021 season, despite his success with the Cardinals. The Cardinals’ president, John Mozeliak, stated at the time that the decision was made due to “philosophical differences.”
“I’m grateful for a second act,” Shildt stated at his introduction press conference. “Not everyone understands. You assume there are only 30 of these occupations. I swear I’m not going to take this one for granted. “I’m really excited about our team.”
Shildt is no stranger to the Padres, having served as an advisor to the team this season. He has also filled in as a coach on multiple occasions when the Padres’ coaching staff was dealing with medical concerns or other circumstances.
The Padres are coming off a disappointing season in which they finished with an 82-80 record and failed to make the playoffs despite having one of the largest payrolls in baseball. Shildt is now expected to turn things around and get the star-studded lineup performing to its full potential.
