Ex-Cardinals manager Mike Shildt takes over in San Diego

The San Diego Padres named Mike Shildt as their new manager on Tuesday.

He replaces Bob Melvin, who now is the manager of the San Francisco Giants. The team said Shildt signed a two-year deal but did not announce financial terms.

Shildt managed the St. Louis Cardinals to a 252-199 record in three-plus seasons (2018-21). He was fired following the 2021 season when the team finished 90-72 and made the playoffs for the third straight season.

The 55-year-old most recently worked as a senior adviser in the Padres' organization since 2022. He spent 18 years in the Cardinals organization and was named National League Manager of the Year in 2019.

"Mike is a proven winner as a manager at the Major League level, and he brings over two decades of experience in professional baseball to the position," Padres general manager A.J. Preller said. "In his time here, Mike has displayed a strong baseball intellect, a passion for teaching the game, and has established relationships with players and staff at both the minor and Major League levels. We believe that Mike is the right person to lead the Padres forward in our continued pursuit of a World Series championship."

The big-budget Padres disappointed in 2023 and failed to make the playoffs, finishing 82-80 and 18 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for third place in the NL West.

Melvin posted a 171-153 record in two seasons with San Diego. The Padres went 89-73 in his first season and reached the NL Championship Series before losing to the Philadelphia Phillies.