The Padres have narrowed their managerial search to no more than four finalists and expect to make a decision on who will replace the retired Mike Shildt by the end of the week.

Pitching coach Ruben Niebla, former Padres catcher and current Rangers advisor Nick Hundley and future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols are finalists for the position, according to sources. It is not certain they are the only remaining candidates.

The Padres have not commented on the manager search.

It was already known that Pujols met with Padres officials Tuesday in San Diego. Niebla was seen during his interview at Petco Park on Monday, and sources confirmed he and Hundley are in the running. Hundley could not be reached for comment, and Niebla did not answer a phone call seeking comment.

Albert Pujols interviews for second time as Padres narrow managerial search

The three finalists and bench coach Brian Esposito (and possibly others) participated in interviews via Zoom last week in the first round of interviews. The second round of interviews is being held in person.

Niebla has essentially remade the Padres pitching program since taking over as pitching coach in October 2021, and the team has perennially ranked among the league leaders in that span. The Calexico High graduate pitched in the minor leagues in the Expos and Dodgers organization and coached in the Guardians organization from 2001 through 2020.

Hundley played in the major leagues for 12 seasons, the first 6½ of them (2008-14) with the Padres. He spent time working for MLB after his retirement in 2019 and has been a special assistant in the Rangers’ baseball operations department since 2022. Hundley lives in San Diego.

Pujols, whose 704 home runs are fourth most in major league history, has never coached or managed in the minor or major leagues. His managerial experience is limited to leading Leones de Escogido to the Dominican Winter League and Caribbean Series titles in 2025.

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – It’s been 90 days since Cal Trans and the City of San Diego agreed to a deal to allow city crews to clear homeless encampments along downtown freeways.

“I’m happy to report some very, I think, encouraging data from those first 90 days,” San Diego Mayor Todd Gloira said. “So far, 184 encampments have been addressed. 151 tons of garbage and debris have been removed. 43 people have been connected to shelter, and 37 have accepted other forms of assistance.”

Gloria stated on Tuesday that the goal of the year-long pilot program is to get rid of such trash and debris to help those living in the encampments and the surrounding communities and to get those in the encampments who are unhoused connected to shelters and other services to get them off the streets.

The person who oversaw that assistance and outreach is Ketra Carter.

“I think what you’ve seen over the last couple of years is someone was not able to stay on one side of the street, so they went on to the right of way where our outreach teams could not engage with them,” Ketra Carter, Program Manager for Homelessness Strategies & Solutions Department for the City of San Diego, said.

Carter told ABC 10News this is a game-changer because they’re able to go beyond the physical boundary of the fencing around the land along highways. They’re also able to break down another boundary: the jurisdiction of state property.
She said city outreach workers couldn’t help those on state property. So now they’re able to meet and connect with people each day to consistently try to get them into help and out of these encampments that the City’s trying to clear.

“If we weren’t able to stay connected to help make sure that they had their ID, their Social Security card, any of the documents that are required to sign a lease for those permanent supportive housing options, they would have lost that match,” Carter said. They would have lost that opportunity, and then they would have remained on the streets and probably lost yet more trust in how the system can help.”

The initial agreement was for a five-mile area of downtown along Interstate 5, State Routes 94 and 163.

“We’ll be here daily to make it clear that this is not an OK place to stay and that we have somewhere better for you to go. When we do that, you get sustained clearance like what we have here,” Gloria said.

ABC 10News asked Gloria if there is a plan to address more of these encampments on more land along San Diego’s highways. He said the goal is to keep the program going and is willing to expand its reach.

“So whether it’s through a continuation of the pilot that we’ve been operating for the last 90 days or a statewide solution, either will allow us to continue and hopefully expand this work,” Gloria said.

Some Fleet Week San Diego events have been canceled due to the U.S. government shutdown, organizers announced Monday.

That includes all events that were set to take place at Broadway Pier from Nov. 5 through Nov. 9, according to the San Diego Fleet Week Foundation.

Canceled Fleet Week San Diego events:

• Nov. 5: Community Breakfast aboard USS Midway Museum
• Nov. 5-7: Student STEM Days
• Nov. 7-9: Public Visiting
• Nov. 8: Veterans & Military Boat Parade

Fleet Week said the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard will not be able to provide the Navy Ship, Coast Guard Cutter and the Marine Corps equipment needed for those events, citing “the continued lapse in appropriations from the ongoing federal government shutdown.”

The Fleet Week Football Classic is still on track for Nov. 1 at Snapdragon Stadium, the foundation said. Military Family Day will take place at a different venue on Nov. 9, and the Enlisted Recognition Luncheon at the San Diego Zoo will be rescheduled.

Organizers said it’s not yet clear what will happen to the following events until the shutdown ends: Veterans and Military Concert planned for Nov. 2 at Spreckels Organ Pavillion at Balboa Park; the 250th Navy & Marine Corps Birthday Celebration on Nov. 6; and the 5K Run and Family Walk on Nov. 9.