Mike Shildt Gets Brutally Honest on Sudden Padres Exit

Shortly after the San Diego Padres were eliminated from postseason contention last season, manager Mike Shildt announced his retirement from the team. Shildt had taken the Padres to the postseason in his two years with the organization, but by the end of it all, he was burnt out.

Over his Padres career, he quickly made a name for himself within the organization. Shildt is the only manager in franchise history to guide his team to consecutive 90-win seasons, and he led San Diego to back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since 2005-06.

Shildt is now back with the Baltimore Orioles, working as the upper-level coordinator of instruction. But the manager did reflect on his time with San Diego, just before Opening Day of the 2026 season.

While discussing the ending to his tenure with the Padres, Shildt was honest. The decision to leave the team was Shildt's, leaving San Diego to look elsewhere for a new leader.

“I know what it takes to win 90 games in the big leagues,” Shildt said to The Athletic “I know what it took out of me. And I was honest with myself and realized I probably didn’t have that in me anymore."

Shildt said that toward the end of his time with the Padres, the experience was fairly joyless. The veteran manager couldn't continue to come to work in this manner, so he decided to step away.

“And then the human part came out and said, ‘Well, you know what? If you have an off year and you don’t make the playoffs, what are they going to say? Hey, you’re human. You could have gotten away with it.’ But I would have known," Shildt said. "For about two minutes, I thought, ‘Go make your money,’ and then I immediately stopped and said, ‘That’s it.’”

Over his two years with the team, Shildt posted a 183-141 record and a 5-5 record in the playoffs. But while Shildt does miss the big leagues, he appears to be happier working in the minor leagues.

“I do miss the big leagues,” Shildt said. “I do miss that group of guys, and I miss that competition. But I am perfectly content. I’m living my purpose.”

San Diego seemed to be building something under his leadership, but the Padres have been a revolving door of managers over the years. Since 2014, the Padres have used six different managers for at least 90 games.

This isn't a sustainable winning formula, and some have questioned general manager A.J. Preller's approach to the position. With Craig Stammen now in charge, the Padres will be looking to get back to the postseason, even with the odds going against them.

San Diego has some roster questions, especially within the starting rotation as the year gets going. But the team can take what they learned under Shildt, and hope that it helps them this season under their first-time manager.

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