Owners play an outsized role in a club’s direction and long-term prospects. On Aug. 17, Major League Baseball’s team owners unanimously approved the sale of the San Diego Padres to an investor group led by private equity billionaire José E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones, according to Major League Baseball. Feliciano and Jones agreed to buy the Padres from the family of the late owner Peter Seidler for an MLB-record $3.9 billion; once the purchase is official, Jones will be the first Black woman to hold a majority stake in an MLB team. The Padres have reached the World Series twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing to the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees.
Arizona’s principal owner is Ken Kendrick. Kendrick, founder of software company Datatel Inc., became part owner when the Diamondbacks joined MLB in 1995 and has served as the club’s principal owner and managing general partner since purchasing the team for $238 million in 2004. Kendrick leads an ownership group that includes Mike Chipman and Jeff Royer.
The Oakland Athletics are controlled by John Fisher, who has been the team’s controlling owner since 2005. Fisher, a son of Gap Inc. founders Donald and Doris Fisher, has overseen the club’s low-payroll approach and its relocation process from West Sacramento to Las Vegas, which is expected to be completed by 2028. The Atlanta Braves are owned by Atlanta Braves Holdings Inc., a publicly traded company originally part of Liberty Media; Terry McGuirk serves as chairman and CEO and guided the club to the 2021 World Series title.
Baltimore’s principal owner is David Rubenstein, who led an investment group that purchased the Orioles for $1.725 billion in a deal finalized in March 2024, ending the Angelos family’s ownership. The Boston Red Sox are controlled by John Henry through Fenway Sports Group; Henry has owned the team since 2002 and overseen World Series championships in 2004, 2007, 2013 and 2018.
The Chicago Cubs are owned by the Ricketts family, with Tom Ricketts serving as chairman and the public face of the group that delivered the 2016 World Series to the North Side. The Chicago White Sox have been led by Jerry Reinsdorf since 1981; in June 2025 Reinsdorf and minority investor Justin Ishbia reached an agreement for Ishbia to acquire a controlling stake, with a potential transition window between 2029 and 2034 while Reinsdorf continues day-to-day operations.
As of Feb. 12, Phil Castellini is the Cincinnati Reds’ principal owner, succeeding his father, Bob Castellini, with Major League Baseball approval. The original source lists principal owners for all 30 MLB clubs; the entries above reflect those noted in that report.
