Padres extend architect of contention A.J. Preller with multi-year deal

San Diego Padres announce a multi-year contract extension for president of baseball operations A.J. Preller, locking him in for at least three more years (length not disclosed) as the architect who rebuilt the franchise into a perennial contender. The move follows a tenure that has yielded four playoff appearances in six years and an NLCS in 2022, driven by bold trades and payroll decisions; teammates like Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado publicly praised his leadership as the team aims for its first World Series.