The Padres are losing a major piece of their front office to the Dodgers, and the timing makes the move sting even more.
Caroline Perry, who had been San Diego’s chief operating officer since January 2023, is heading to Los Angeles to become the Dodgers’ executive vice president and COO. The Dodgers announced the hire Monday, and Perry is set to begin her new role Nov. 30.
For San Diego, this is more than a routine personnel change. Perry spent 16 seasons with the organization and rose from associate general counsel, a job she took in April 2011, to one of the most powerful positions in the franchise. In that climb, she became the highest-ranking female employee in Padres history and one of only three women serving as a COO in Major League Baseball.
Her influence stretched well beyond a title. Perry oversaw ballpark operations, business strategy and analytics, legal affairs, finance, government affairs and information technology. She also had a hand in the renovation of Gallagher Square, the negotiations tied to San Diego’s hosting of the 2016 All-Star Game and the management of Petco Park.
Now she moves to a Dodgers organization that has built a reputation as one of baseball’s most successful franchises, taking that experience with her to a division rival.
The Padres have already started reshaping the leadership structure in response. Chris Connolly, who had been the club’s chief marketing officer, has been elevated to executive vice president and chief marketing and operations officer. He’ll keep his current duties in marketing, broadcasting, advertising and fan engagement while also taking on responsibility for ballpark operations.
Connolly’s promotion comes after San Diego set franchise attendance records in three of the past four seasons.
The front-office shift lands as the Padres head into another crucial offseason under new ownership, with significant roster and long-term decisions ahead. For San Diego, the task now is clear: keep the momentum going while one of its longest-tenured executives joins its biggest National League West rival.
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