The San Diego Padres are looking to get over the hump; they've made it to the postseason in four of the past six seasons, and they were ever so close to getting over the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024. But 2026 presents a fresh start for the Padres. With Mike Shildt leaving his post after experiencing burnout, the Padres brought in former reliever Craig Stammen, who played in San Diego from 2017 to 2022, to replace him as manager.
What helps Stammen navigate such a pressure-filled environment is that he was once part of this team. This level of familiarity he has with the locker room has helped him gain the trust and belief of the squad from day one.
“They know who I am, they kind of know how I act on a day-to-day basis. And being able to relate to what they're going through, who they're talking to on a daily basis. The rigors of playing a 162-game season with media attention the way it is at the current moment. I at least went through that on some level and can pat those guys in the back and kind of shepherd them in the right way,” Stammen said in an appearance on The Jim Rome Show.
"They know who I am, they know how I react on a day-to-day basis and being able to relate to what they're going through."@Padres manager Craig Stammen on how he connects with players, just four years after playing in San Diego. pic.twitter.com/51HKAA1iB8
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) March 6, 2026
Padres' Craig Stammen navigates transition from playing to managing
The transition from playing to managing isn't always the easiest, as Stammen is no longer buddy-buddies with his former teammates. But the Padres seem to be in good hands if this boundary recognition is any indication.
“We'll see how it goes during the season. So far, I haven't had to take them out of the lineup or move them down the lineup or take them out of a game earlier than they think. I'm hoping that I built enough relationship equity that they'll give me a free pass here and there. They view this as a partnership and that we're working together to be the best team that we can be,” Stammen added.
“It's not the Craig Stammen San Diego Padres. It's not the Manny Machado San Diego Padres. It's the Padres and we're all in this together.”
