Padres Sale Finally Approved Unanimously By MLB Owners

The San Diego Padres have been up for sale since the end of last season, and the long, labyrinthine process was finally put up for vote and unanimously approved by Major League Baseball owners, according to a report by Dennis Lin of The Athletic and multiple other outlets. 

The new owners will be the billionaire investors Jose E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones, the husband-wife team that will be purchasing at least 40 percent of the franchise at a final purchase price of $3.9 billion, with other investors and entities joining them at what Lin described as a “smaller combined percentage.”  

MLB issued a statement from commissioner Rob Manfred that read as follows:

“It is my pleasure to welcome José E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones as the new majority owners of the Padres following today’s vote,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement issued by the league. “José and Kwanza understand the unique place the Padres hold in San Diego and the powerful bond between the club and its fans. We look forward to their leadership of the Padres and to working with them to build on the club’s strong foundation in a market that is so important to Major League Baseball.”

The sale is expected to be finalized in the coming days, which is in keeping with the predicted timeline provided back in the spring and early summer. 

The sale was not without some controversy, however. It was held up initially due to infighting among the previous owners, the Seidler family, and after that multiple groups were reported to have the inside track to win the bidding process at times. 

That led to issues on the field, as GM A.J. Preller was often unable to make significant moves to bolster a flagging, aging roster that struggled on the field at times. 

Preller was finally authorized to make a couple of big deals at the deadline that resulted in the addition of starters Casey Mize and Robbie Ray, and the additions have galvanized the Padres, who made a run before the deadline and are now tied with the Philadelphia Philles for the second and third wild-card spot going into tonight’s action. 

The news conference to introduce Feliciano and Jones will take place next Monday at Petco Park, and the new owners issued a statement about the acquisition. 

“We are a family first, and becoming owners of the San Diego Padres means joining an even larger one,” Feliciano and Jones said in the Padres’ statement. “We are grateful to the Seidler family, and especially to Peter, for raising the expectations of what this franchise can achieve. We have built our life and our work together, and we will bring that same shared purpose, commitment, and determination to our stewardship of the Padres.

“Our ambition is clear: to bring a World Series championship to San Diego and build an enduring organization capable of competing for championships year after year. We intend to be engaged owners, bringing our energy, experience, and perspective while working alongside the talented team already in place and investing ambitiously and thoughtfully in the Padres’ future.”