In what is being described as a shocking move, the San Diego Padres have hired one of their former relief pitchers and current front office man Craig Stammen to manage the team.
The move is considered surprising because the 41-year-old Stammen was never mentioned as a possible candidate unlike former Padres manager Bruce Bochy, future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols and current Padres pitching coach Reuben Niebla.
However, Stammen spent six seasons in the Padres bullpen from 2017 through 2022 after beginning his big-league career with the Washington Nationals. In 2024, Stammen joined the team's front office in its baseball operations department serving as an assistant to the big-league coaching staff led by then manager Mike Shildt who abruptly resigned after being eliminated in last month's post-season.
Stammen does enjoy a good relationship with many current Padres players particularly Manny Machado who was once a teammate. So, this hiring might not be such a stretch even if Stammen has never coached or managed in professional baseball.
With the team having made the post-season three of the past four years, the Padres are expected to make the post-season again even if they are in the same division with the back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Although Stammen has been signed to a 3-year deal, if the Padres take a big step back in 2026, Stammen could get an early hook. But the Padres are hoping for a hold.
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