If the Padres wanted to send a signal that they’re serious about Albert Pujols, a nine-and-a-half-hour, in-person interview does the trick. That’s not a courtesy chat; that’s whiteboard sessions, staff trees, culture blueprints, and contingency planning for a club that expects to play deep into October.
Per multiple reports, Pujols left an MLB Network World Series assignment to be in San Diego for that meeting, an unmistakable tell about mutual interest and urgency.
Momentum is building for Albert Pujols to manage the Padres
The courtship accelerated after Pujols and the Angels broke off negotiations over coaches, resources, and compensation, proof that he’s not jumping at the first opportunity, but rather looking for the right fit.