Pujols Gets Second Interview; Padres Near Decision

The San Diego Padres brought Hall of Famer Albert Pujols in for a second in-person interview for their open managerial post, a meeting reports say lasted about 9.5 hours as the club narrows its search. Multiple outlets list Pujols among a short group of finalists that includes Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla and bench/third-base coach Brian Esposito, with other names such as Nick Hundley and Scott Servais also reported, and San Diego is expected to make a decision imminently. Pujols has no Major League managerial experience but recently led Leones del Escogido to Dominican Winter League and Caribbean Series titles and is slated to manage the Dominican Republic in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. He was at Petco Park for Game 3 en route to his interview, and the club appears to value his stature and clubhouse influence, particularly with stars Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. Hiring Pujols would move him directly from winter-league and WBC duties to a high-profile MLB managing role as he would replace Mike Shildt following his retirement.