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Peter Seidler’s brother files legal answer to widow’s lawsuit

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints
By Russell Steinberg | Last updated Jan 28, 2025 2:56 PM ET

Matt Seidler, brother of late San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler, has filed a response to the lawsuit brought against him by Peter’s widow, Sheel.

In his response, obtained by The Athletic, he denies Sheel’s accusation that he and his brother Bob “acted in bad faith” and abandoned their fiduciary duty as trustees and executors of Peter’s estate. Matt, in turn, accused Sheel of seeking “control and unlimited money.”

“Sheel is unhappy that Peter did not give her control over the San Diego Padres or the trust upon his death,” the filing read, adding that Sheel is “disappointed that Peter did not leave her a trust that generates significant net income for her, and that he elected to protect the trust’s remainder beneficiaries (their children) by limiting distributions of trust principal to Sheel.”

In the 25-page filing, Matt accused Sheel of demanding a $20 million initial distribution from the trust, followed by annual installments of the same amount. It also says she has already acquired Peter’s $30 million ranch in Texas and more than $4.5 million in cash since the owner’s death in 2023.

Matt Seidler accuses Sheel Seidler of interfering with Padres’ Roki Sasaki pursuit

Los Angele Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) speaks during an introductory press conference at Dodger Stadium. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The legal drama around the Padres’ ownership comes while the team is trying to assemble a contender for 2025. The Padres aggressively pursued Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki, who eventually signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Matt Seidler’s filing does not mention Sasaki by name but implies that Sheel’s lawsuit affected the recruiting process.

“During a crucial time when Padres management was in late negotiation stages with a star pitcher, Sheel’s lawsuit recklessly suggested that Matt and his brothers were plotting to relocate the Padres elsewhere,” the filing read.

And that may have made a difference. Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe, admitted that they were aware of the lawsuit and Sheel’s accusation about moving the team.

“We knew it was an issue,” he said Tuesday, per The Athletic. “The timing of it appeared oddly strategic, and I wanted to allow the Padres to deal with it first on their own terms rather than try to figure it out on our own, which they did.”

Matt has since penned an open letter denying there were discussions around relocating the team.

As the legal process plays out, Matt has nominated another one of his brothers, John Seidler, to be the new Padres control person, replacing the interim Eric Kutsenda. That process now goes to Major League Baseball owners, who will put it to a vote.

This article first appeared on MLB on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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