The San Diego Padres have suffered their first major loss of the winter.

Padres Chief Operating Officer Caroline Perry has been hired by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Perry will serve as the Dodgers' Executive Vice President as well as COO.

Perry will replace retiring COO Bob Wolfe, who was the long-time right-hand man of CEO Stan Kasten. Wolfe is retiring at the end of the month and will become an advisor to the organization.

Perry had been the Padres COO since 2023, where she was the highest-ranking female employee in San Diego history and the franchise's No. 3 executive behind CEO Erik Greupner and president of baseball operations A.J. Preller.

While she served as the COO for San Diego for four seasons, Perry had been with the team for 16 seasons. Perry started off as a general counsel. Before becoming the Padres COO, she served as the team's executive vice president for business administration and general counsel.

Perry spoke about joining the Dodgers organization and reflected on what the Padres meant to her.

“It is a tremendous honor to join the Dodgers,” Perry said. “On the field, they have set an unparalleled standard of excellence in baseball under the current leadership. Off the field, their historic legacy, passionate fan base and service to the community speak for themselves. While I am incredibly grateful for my time with the Padres and for the colleagues who made those years so meaningful, I am excited to take my place with the Dodgers and to contribute to their continued success. Thank you to Mark Walter, Stan Kasten and the entire Dodger family for welcoming me.”

Caroline Perry Leaves Padres Ahead of Potentially Transformative Offseason

Perry hails from San Diego. She graduated with honors from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Biology.

Perry earned her law degree from Columbia University, where she was a James Kent scholar and managing editor of the Columbia Business Law Review.

The Padres are entering a crucial winter that could bring significant changes to the organization. As a result, the team that takes the field in 2027 could look much different from the one Perry left behind.

Who is Replacing Caroline Perry in Padres Front Office?

The Padres announced that Chris Connolly, who has been in the organization since 2011, has been promoted to replace Perry.

Connoly has been the team's Chief Marketing Officer since 2021 and will now have the title of Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing and Operations Officer.

“Chris has been an outstanding leader and driving force behind the Padres’ continued growth and success,” Greupner said in a statement. “His highly collaborative, positive, creative, and committed approach has helped elevate our fan experience and organization in meaningful ways. This promotion reflects the impact he has made and our confidence in his ability to help lead the Padres going forward.”

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