The San Diego Padres’ record-setting $3.9 billion sale is finally lining up to cross the finish line.
According to Barry M. Bloom of Times of San Diego, the deal is expected to be completed sometime this month.
Bloom reported that John Seidler, the team’s control person, said the pending sale should close this month, with approval from the 30 owners handled by call or electronically. An MLB spokesman for commissioner Rob Manfred’s office said Thursday that the action had not yet been scheduled.
The transaction has already made history. José E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones bought the team from the Seidler family in a deal that shattered baseball’s previous high-water mark, the $2.4 billion sale of the New York Mets in 2020.
Manfred said earlier that he believed the sale would be completed in August, and that still appears to be the path forward.
Inside the clubhouse, the drawn-out process has not exactly gone unnoticed. Manny Machado said earlier this year, “Yeah, what’s going on with that?”
Padres infielder Manny Machado said earlier this year. “I thought it would’ve been done by now.
I’ve spoken to Feliciano a little bit, so I know he’s eager to get on with it and help the city and help this team win. I don’t know what’s taking so long.
But it’s been a weird year for everyone in this clubhouse.”
For now, the expectation is that the new ownership group won’t trigger a dramatic shift in direction. San Diego is still chasing the first World Series title in franchise history, and the trade deadline offered a pretty clear signal about the team’s intentions.
A.J. Preller stayed aggressive, adding multiple starting pitchers and once again operating as a buyer. He had also been rumored to be telling opposing executives that he had more money to work with because of the ownership change, and the deadline moves backed that up.
Preller’s future has been a talking point with the new owners on the way in, but at least for now, he appears to be secure. He helped push the roster forward at the deadline, and his run in charge has helped make the organization more productive.
The sale could also give the Padres more financial muscle going forward, though how that plays out is unclear with new CBA negotiations approaching later this year.
When the sale was announced, Feliciano and Jones issued a statement to fans saying, “We have worked hard for everything we have achieved, and we have built it together,” the statement read. “We see that same spirit in this team and its fans, and we know what it takes to win. We are committed to showing up, listening, and earning the trust of this community, while building on the strong foundation established by the Seidler family.
“This is about more than baseball - it's about boosting the pride, energy, and connection that define the Padres, investing in community, deepening belonging, and ensuring this team remains accessible and endures for generations. We are all in, with the goal of bringing a World Series championship to San Diego.”
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