Padres' Preller: Melvin will return as manager

San Diego Padres president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller confirmed that Bob Melvin will remain the team's skipper, according to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com.

"Bob is our manager, and he's going to be our manager going forward," Preller said Wednesday, per Dennis Lin of The Athletic. "Both he and I are very excited about the challenge of getting this group back to the postseason next year."

Preller wouldn't disclose if the Padres would allow Melvin to pursue another opportunity if it came up.

"Bob's our manager and is under contract," the 46-year-old executive added, according to Annie Heilbrunn of Bally Sports.

Preller and Melvin have a rocky relationship, which one player called "unfixable," report Lin and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

"From my standpoint, a lot's been overblown," Preller said, according to Bernie Wilson of The Associated Press. "There have been reports that, hey, we don't speak. We're talking four or five times a day. Personally, we have a friendship. I don't put a lot of stock into the unnamed reports and sources and stories that are out of context."

Melvin signed a three-year deal in March 2022, while Preller is under contract through the 2026 campaign.

Padres owner and chairman Peter Seidler said Monday that the leadership team has his "full support" despite a disappointing year.

San Diego underachieved by going 82-80 this season despite boasting the third-highest payroll in baseball. The club finished two games behind the NL's final wild-card spot and 18 contests back of the division-winning Los Angeles Dodgers.