San Diego secures its aggressive front office leader. After years of bold moves and playoff pushes, A.J. Preller inks a long-term deal, solidifying his vision.
Going into spring training, one of the biggest questions around the team in Peoria, Arizona, was whether or not GM A.J. Preller would sign a contract extension.
Ever since the playoff run ended in 2025 against the Chicago Cubs, the Preller contract question has been asked time and time again.
At Cactus League Media Day, Preller said he "loves San Diego" while also saying he was "hoping to line up on something" in regards to a new deal.
On Monday, it finally happened, and the team announced a long-term deal for Peller.
The official release from the team states it is a multi-year deal, and Preller said he is "incredibly grateful," while adding that "San Diego is a special place."
Preller also holds the title of president of baseball operations, and he has been the GM in San Diego since 2014.
The Preller madness began when he traded for Matt Kemp, Wil Myers and several others while also signing James Shields prior to the 2015 MLB season.
That was only months after Preller was hired, and although those moves didn't work out in the long run, he replenished the farm system and acquired Fernando Tatis Jr. in a trade that sent Shields to the Chicago White Sox.
Preller has also traded for big-name stars, including Juan Soto, Blake Snell and Josh Hader, and he has shown an aggressiveness that has not existed in San Diego's front office before.
Unfortunately, the Padres have just one NLCS appearance since Preller took over. On the other hand, they have made the postseason four times in the last six seasons, so things are trending in the right direction in San Diego.
The extension comes after a very busy weekend for Preller, as he signed former Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos to a one-year deal. He also brought in Griffin Canning and German Marquez to add depth to the pitching rotation.
Preller's time in San Diego has sparked plenty of mixed reactions, and with a lot of puzzling trades - with the Mason Miller one last year being questioned - he is aggressive.
And, at least for now, keeping Preller in town calling the shots in the front office makes sense.
The impending team sale seems to be coming to some sort of clarity soon, and who knows what the MLB situation looks like when the lockout takes place in 2027. So, who better to navigate such a mess besides Preller?