https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/07/24/padres-pregame-game-against-cardinals-will-be-record-setting-for-jake-cronenworth/

Cronenworth was considered something of a novelty, a mostly unknown minor-league infielder who also pitched. Even the Padres were not sure what they got. They had him work out of the bullpen in spring training that year.

Six seasons later, Cronenworth will in Thursday’s game against the Cardinals become the franchise’s all-time leader in starts at second base.

“It’s crazy,” Cronenworth said. “It’s one of those things you look back on, you never know where your career is going to go or how it’s going to develop. But to be at this point, hopefully to continue to do that five more years after this, hopefully I have the opportunity to play my entire career for one team. That doesn’t happen too often. It’s pretty cool. It would be super special.”

Cronenworth is signed through 2030. But it is somewhat ironic that he is setting the record while his name is circulating as a trade candidate.

“Interest is interest, right?” Cronenworth said while smiling. “You try not to (pay attention). Obviously, you’re gonna see it and you’re gonna hear about it. But you try not to.”

It is not clear how seriously the Padres are considering moving Cronenworth, who has long been a target for teams in large part due to due to his contract. Cronenworth, who has a .744 OPS this season and plays excellent defense at two positions, is considered a bargain at $12.29 million a year from 2026 through ’30.

18 comments

  2. My boy will stay a Padres for life. He’s solid and has a great, team friendly contract.

  4. Love this guy. A truly incredible person and an amazing player. I hope he stays a Padre, but wherever he goes, I will always root for him. 

  5. I don’t care if he’s got a slightly outsized contract, I want Jake on the team as long as we can have him.

  9. This isn’t the first time I’ve been worried about Cronenworth getting traded.

    In his breakout season with us before he signed his current contract Dave Roberts (LAD Manager) was quoted as saying, “Jake plays the game the way it should be played. He is a great ball player.” He proceeded to chat 1:1 with Jacob in multiple games that year and I thought he was gunning for him IF he went the FA route. That’s half of the reason I think Preller and Seidler extended him early so he wouldn’t go to the Dodgers with Roberts being such a fan.

  10. I hope he stays. I know business is business, and so do they but he’s so great

  11. Half the people think he’s got a team friendly deal, other half it’s bloated. Must be a fair contract.

  12. The fact that they called him up to replace a diarrheal Eric Hosmer and he was just too good to send back is one of my favorite recent Padres stories 

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