Kicking off the 2025 MLB Winter Meetings, the Padres’ new managerial hire sat down with the members of MLB Network. Stammen spoke on several topics, frequently citing his experience as a player, minor league coach, and front office executive.

Following back-to-back playoff appearances under Mike Shildt’s leadership, the Padres were forced to pivot. After Shildt announced his self-elected departure, San Diego hired their former relief pitcher, Craig Stammen, as the new manager.

Stammen played with the Padres for six seasons between 2017 and 2022. In 2024, he rejoined the Padres as a special assistant to both player development and baseball operations. Working both in front of and behind the curtains was a highly valuable experience that eventually led him to earn the position.

A month after taking the job, Stammen is now in attendance at the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando. The four-day event will oversee numerous key signings and trades, some of which the Padres could find themselves involved in. Yesterday morning, Craig Stammen joined the MLB Network crew for an interview surrounding the 2026 MLB season.

His leadership and experience

Considering Stammen’s lack of managerial experience, his natural leadership ability is the burning question. His leadership, in fact, traced back to his playing days in San Diego. Stammen revealed that during his time in the Padres’ bullpen, he took it upon himself to connect the unit to the players on the other side of the outfield wall.

As mentioned beforehand, Stammen went immediately back to the Padres after he retired from baseball. However, his role was rather unconventional as a special assistant to player development and baseball operations. It’s very rare for someone to be able to mentor a player— and later help discuss the trade value he may hold. However, by all accounts, general manager AJ Preller holds a special trust in Stammen. During the hiring process, it was Preller who encouraged Stammen to entertain a candidacy for the job and eventually hired him.

From being a relief pitcher for the @Padres to being named their newest manager, Craig Stammen is ready to get to work in 2026!

San Diego’s skipper stopped by the desk at the #WinterMeetings to share his approach heading into his new role.#MLBTonight + @SageUSAmerica pic.twitter.com/qr30uRT1qw

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 8, 2025

Stammen also added, “I’ve always loved leadership,” and that his father identified the trait at a young age. Throughout his time with the Padres, his natural leadership earned him a deeper respect from his teammates. Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Joe Musgrove are among the few current Padres who shared the field with him for multiple seasons. 

Specifically, Stammen spoke positively about the new stage of his relationship with Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. “[Machado and Tatis Jr.] have shown me so much respect. Those guys are some of the greatest players in our sport, but they’re also some of the greatest people, too.”

His plans going forward

Aside from his profile and ability to lead, many fans are curious to see what direction Stammen will take the Padres in. With strong ties to both players and staff, Stammen is excited to take on a new role alongside the familiar faces. He expressed that his relationships to the players give him the ability to work more closely with them, specifically with lineup building.

After being eased into the interview, the new manager was asked what was missing from the Padres in a larger sense. Stammen minimized the level of urgency, as he claimed, “I don’t know if there’s anything missing. Maybe just a mindset shift in the [biggest] moments.” His principle was small, but meaningful as he expanded on the idea quickly after. 

Stammen preached a revitalized approach to playing in big games, especially the playoffs. “[We] understand what those feelings are, that adrenaline, that excitement, that nervous energy,” he said. His vision is for the Padres to be able to use that energy and excitement to their advantage. 

Conclusion

Overall, there’s little more Craig Stammen could’ve done to “more deservingly” earn a job as a first-year manager at his age. He’s been a leader, a mentor, and a beam of connection within the Padres for nearly a decade. His ties to San Diego’s players, staff, and executives are arguably the strongest of anyone in the baseball industry.

Stammen will soon be busy, as he navigates a new-look starting pitching staff this Spring. He’s acknowledged the talent of his lineup and is striving to get the best out of his strong bunch of players. He stated a desire to push Fernando Tatis Jr. and recently paid a visit to the Dominican Republic to watch Luis Campusano in a winter league game for the Licey Tigers. Safe to say, a new iteration of the prototypical “player’s manager” has taken the helm of the San Diego Padres. However, only time will tell if Stammen can lead the Padres to a third straight bid to the Postseason.

Willy Warren

A 17-year-old San Diego native, Willy Warren is a baseball fan at heart who created High Leverage Baseball, a public baseball media account covering around-the-league statistical analysis and breakdowns on X. Willy is set to attend the Cronkite School of Journalism in the fall of 2026 at Arizona State University, where he’ll pursue a major in sports journalism.