Padres Buying In To Mike Shildt's Approach to Managing Entering Season

After a long 2023 season, the San Diego Padres spent the offseason trying to figure out what went wrong. They shifted Mike Shildt from a senior advisor role to the manager's seat with the hope of righting the ship.

Shildt brings managerial experience to the table, having worked as the St. Louis Cardinals' manager for multiple years. He had been in the Padres' organization since 2022 and is excited about his new journey forward.

It'll be a little bit of a learning curve for the returning players to adjust to Shildt's management style. He's already happy with how the players are buying into everything as Spring Training gets underway.

“I’m really pleased with the players’ buy-in. The staff did a good job in the offseason talking with guys, getting to make sure we have a clear identity of how we are going to compete offensively. Now we are seeing the execution take place in a game. We’re using the big part of the field. We’re pleased about the guys’ approaches. We’re seeing the results. It’s paying off.”

— Mike Shildt via MLB.com

On a team with young players in key roles, experienced players like Manny Machado, Jake Cronenworth, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Xander Bogaerts will be looked upon to be the leaders on the field. They are the stars of this squad and will need to set an example for the rest of the team.

Cronenworth spoke about the struggles from last season, and how the team will be looking to change the narrative this time around.

“It’s just playing the game. Last year, whether it was the situation we were in with our record or trying to put too much pressure on ourselves to execute … instead of just going out there and playing the game and doing what we know.”

— Jake Cronenworth via MLB.com

The Padres' clubhouse culture came under intense scrutiny after the team won 82 games and missed the postseason altogether, falling well short of heightened expectations. 

With a returning core that's a year older and wiser, the Padres will look to improve the "soft factors" — culture, attitude, morale, etc. — under Shildt in 2024.