Peter Seidler, Padres chairman and owner, dies at 63 - ESPN

Peter Seidler, the San Diego Padres chairman and owner who elevated his team to national prominence with unprecedented financial commitments, passed away Tuesday. He was 63.

The Padres did not disclose a cause of death, but Seidler revealed in a statement on Sept. 18 that he had undergone a medical procedure the prior month that would prevent him from attending any games for the remainder of the 2023 season. He was a two-time cancer survivor.

The Padres announced Tuesday that they will open the Home Plate Gate at Petco Park later that afternoon for fans who wish to gather and pay their respects.

In a statement, Padres CEO Erik Greupner wrote: «The Padres organization mourns the passing of our beloved chairman and owner, Peter Seidler. Today, our love and prayers encircle Peter's family as they grieve the loss of an extraordinary husband, father, son, brother, uncle and friend. Peter was a kind and generous man who was devoted to his wife, children and extended family. He also consistently exhibited heartfelt compassion for others, especially those less fortunate.

»His impact on the city of San Diego and the baseball world will be felt for generations. His generous spirit is now firmly embedded in the fabric of the Padres. Although he was our chairman and owner, Peter was at his core a Padres fan. He will be dearly missed."

The grandson of decorated Los Angeles Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley and a devoted baseball fan himself, Seidler will forever be remembered as the man who lifted the Padres to unprecedented levels, green-lighting major free-agent contracts for Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts while also spending big to retain the likes of Fernando Tatis Jr., Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish, among others.

Under Seidler's