SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – The sale of the San Diego Padres franchise is heading into the late innings.
Five bids have reportedly advanced to the final portion of the process, which could wrap up sometime around Opening Day on March 26th or soon thereafter.
Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported that some of the parties looking to purchase the Padres are Joe Lacob (owner of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors); Jose Feliciano (owner of Chelsea soccer club in the English Premier League), and Dan Friedkin (owner of Everton in the EPL and AS Roma in the Serie A Italian soccer league).
Former Chargers quarterback Drew Brees and Vuori clothing brand founder Joe Kudla have also expressed interest in joining one of the buyer groups, according to The Athletic, but have not submitted an official bid of their own.
That leaves at least two mystery bidders remaining in the process.
In November 2025, the Seidler family announced they would explore a sale of the franchise.
Multiple MLB analysts believe the Padres’ sale price will eclipse the $2.4 billion Steve Cohen paid for the New York Mets in 2020.
Players and coaches, meanwhile, continue to prepare for the 2026 season at Spring Training in Arizona.
Starting pitcher Randy Vasquez turned in another strong effort in a Cactus League game in Scottsdale against the Colorado Rockies, striking out four batters in 2 2/3 hitless innings. The Padres lost the game at Salt River Fields 3-2 on a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th inning.
This weekend, several star players, including Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis, Jr, Xander Bogaerts, and Mason Miller, will leave camp in Peoria and join their respective squads for the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
Miller will pitch in relief for Team USA, while Bogaerts, a native of Aruba, will play for the Netherlands, with Machado and Tatis both representing the Dominican Republic.
All three of those teams begin play next Friday in either Houston or Miami.