Report: MLB owners approve John Seidler as Padres' control person

John Seidler is the San Diego Padres' new control person after he was unanimously approved by MLB owners Thursday, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune's Kevin Acee.

The 65-year-old, who has been a member of the ownership group since 2012, had been acting as temporary control person since the death of his brother Peter in November 2023.

John Seidler's appointment as control person will become official once he takes over as trustee of Peter Seidler's trust, according to The Athletic's Dennis Lin.

The announcement comes after Sheel Seidler, the widow of Peter, sued her brothers-in-law Matthew and Robert in an attempt to prevent John from taking control of the franchise instead of her.

Sheel's lawsuit claimed "fiduciary breaches of trust, fraud, conversion, and egregious acts of self-dealing," according to The Associated Press.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred does not expect the Padres to be sold and his understanding is the Seidler family wants to keep the team, according to The Athletic's Evan Drellich.

Manfred also said there hasn't been "a single word or whisper" about the Padres potentially relocating, Drellich added.

The Padres trimmed significant payroll after Peter's death but remained competitive in 2024. They won 93 games and advanced to the National League Division Series before nearly eliminating the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.