The San Diego Padres have their next manager, and it’s a name the team knows quite well. Former Padres reliever Craig Stammen was reportedly hired to manage the team for the next three years, according to the San Diego Union Tribune.
The Padres are expected to make the news official Thursday. Stammen reportedly signed a three-year deal with the franchise.
Advertisement
While Stammen’s hiring comes as a surprise to those outside the organization, he’s well-known inside the Padres. As a player, Stammen, now 41, spent six of his 13 seasons with the Padres.
After an injury led to his retirement in 2023, Stammen decided to remain in the game. In January of 2024, he was hired by the Padres as a special assistant in player development. In that role, Stammen worked with players in both the majors and minors. Stammen remained in that role for the 2025 MLB season.
The Padres found themselves as a surprising entrant in the offseason manager hunt after former manager Mike Shildt announced his retirement in October. Shildt cited the physical and mental toll of the job in his statement announcing the news.
With Shildt gone, the Padres were one of the more desirable openings on the market. The team has won at least 90 games in each of the past two seasons, has plenty of star-caliber players and a general manager who will make bold moves in the pursuit or winning a World Series.
Advertisement
Despite that, rumors regarding the Padres’ next manager were scarce in the weeks leading up to Stammen’s reported hiring. Former MLB superstar Albert Pujols — who was also in the running for the Los Angeles Angels managerial opening — reportedly interviewed with the Padres in October.
This story will be updated.