A legal battle over the ownership of the San Diego Padres has taken a new turn, with claims that it interfered with the team's attempt to acquire Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki. Sasaki ultimately signed with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Padres' ownership dispute is now being blamed for the missed opportunity.

Representatives for Matthew Seidler, brother of the late Padres owner Peter Seidler, filed a response in Texas Probate Court on Monday to a lawsuit filed by Peter's widow, Sheel Kamal Seidler. The response alleges that Sheel's lawsuit, which seeks control of the team, created instability within the organization and directly impacted their pursuit of Sasaki. It claims the lawsuit "recklessly suggested that Matt and his brothers were plotting to relocate the Padres elsewhere" during a critical period in negotiations with the pitcher.

At his introductory press conference with the Dodgers, Sasaki himself cited organizational stability as a key factor in his decision, seemingly corroborating the Seidler family's claims.

Sheel's representatives have fired back, calling the response "thin" and accusing Matthew and his brother Robert of breaching their fiduciary duty. They maintain that Sheel's claims are valid and that they will prevail in court. Sheel's original lawsuit, filed in early January, alleges that Peter's dying wish was for her and their children to inherit control of the Padres. She accuses her brothers-in-law of attempting to undermine Peter's intentions and legacy. The lawsuit also contains allegations of racist and hateful communications directed at Sheel from Bob Seidler's wife.

Matthew and Robert's response denies that Peter ever designated Sheel as his successor, asserting that he amended his trust multiple times after their marriage without ever naming her as trustee. They claim Peter expressed his desire for his siblings and niece to take control of the team after his death. The response even quotes Peter as saying he moved his family to Texas in 2021 partly to "take pressure off Sheel and the kids" and "get Sheel out of the limelight," suggesting he was aware of the demands of franchise ownership and didn't intend for Sheel to bear that burden.

Peter Seidler, a cancer survivor, passed away in November 2023 at the age of 63. He had publicly stated his intention for the Padres to remain within his family for generations. John Seidler, Peter's oldest brother, is currently serving as the interim control person for the team, pending approval from Major League Baseball owners.

During his tenure as owner, Peter Seidler invested heavily in the team, signing lucrative contracts with star players like Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts, and Yu Darvish. While the Padres didn't reach the World Series under his leadership, they did achieve playoff victories against the Dodgers in 2021 and 2022.