Craig Stammen is just days away from revealing his first Padres Opening Day lineup.. Credit: Getty Images
Nearing the end of a competitive Spring Training, fans are eagerly awaiting for the reveal of the San Diego Padres Opening Day lineup.
The wait is almost over. The season begins next week, and with that, the much-anticipated Padres Opening Day lineup will be revealed soon.
Last season, fans watched a lineup that featured Fernando Tatis, Jr. at leadoff and Gavin Sheets in the cleanup spot. With a new manager at the helm, Craig Stammen, expect the lineup to look different in 2026.
Tatis belongs in a spot where he can bat with runners on. The Padres need a leadoff hitter who can get on base. The No. 2 hitter has to be someone who can move that leadoff hitter into scoring position.
Above all else, the team’s power has to be concentrated in the middle of the order. The 2026 Padres appear to have finally found the formula needed for a deep playoff run — nine viable starters and a deep bench.
This article aims to accurately predict the Padres’ Opening Day lineup when they meet Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers on March 26.
Xander Bogaerts – Shortstop
Bogaerts has never served as the leadoff hitter since joining the Padres in 2023. He struggled mightily in 2024, leaving people to think his huge contract was a mistake. But last season, he managed to rebound and be a quality bat in the lineup.
Bogaerts turned in a .328 OBP in 2025. This Spring, he played in eight games before departing to join Team Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. In those eight games, he got on base at a .364 clip. That momentum carried over to the WBC, where he had a .412 OBP in the four games he played in.
Bogaerts’s on-base numbers reflect those of a quality leadoff hitter. It makes sense to pencil him in at the top spot and act as the table setter.
Ramon Laureano – Left field
Laureano was acquired at the deadline along with Ryan O’Hearn for a plethora of top prospects. He instantly became one of the deadliest hitters in the lineup. A pitch off his hand during an at-bat in the season’s final week ended his year early. The Padres sorely missed his presence in the postseason.
This Spring, Laureano has continued to establish himself as that same feared hitter. He’s slugging .533 in 30 at-bats so far in Spring Training, with his OPS sitting at .905. Laureano has the contact and power combo move Bogaerts in scoring position, or even drive him home.
Laureano, in the No. 2 spot, is primed to be a nightmare for opposing pitchers, especially considering who follows him in the lineup.
Fernando Tatis, Jr. – Right field
Tatis looked rejuvenated playing with his fellow countrymen in the WBC. The swag was back. The power was back. Above all, he looked like he enjoyed himself. It was a far different image from the one the Tatis fans watched mope with his head down in 2025.
Credit: AP Photo
Tatis put up numbers similar to the rest of his career last season, but it was clear he wasn’t happy batting leadoff. The No. 3 spot is a better place for him, and it’s going to show on the field. With Tatis in the middle of the order, expect more stutter steps and many more smiles. A welcome sight for Padres fans.
Manny Machado – Third base
Machado enters Opening Day in a familiar position — the cleanup spot. This is where he belongs. He’s surrounded by power and skill, and pitchers will have no choice but to pitch to him. Like some of his teammates, Machado played in only a handful of games with the Padres in Peoria. After that, he joined his Dominican countrymen for the WBC.
But in those five games he played in Peoria, he slugged .889. Machado is the leader of this team, and he shows his leadership with the bat and the glove. At this point, pitchers have seen Laureano, Tatis, and Machado, and there’s still a way to go through this lineup.
Jackson Merrill – Center field
Merrill took a step back last season after his impressive 2024 rookie campaign. It happens to a lot of talented players — probably why it’s called the sophomore slump.
Merrill’s wRC+ plus dropped 14 points last season, and his season WAR dropped by more than two games. This year, in 15 Spring Training games, he’s slugging .500. His OBP sits at .283, but his power makes up for that. Also, learning to remain patient at the plate will lift that OBP well above .300.
Miguel Andujar – DH
The Padres signed Andujar to a 1-year contract on Feb. 11. Entering his 10th MLB season, Andujar has a career .755 OPS. He was signed with the intention of appearing in a platoon role with left-handed hitter Gavin Sheets at first base. He’s also expected to be used in a DH role.
He starts as the DH on Opening Day against Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal. We should expect to see him again the following day, as newly-signed Framber Valdez is the likely starter for Detroit on Friday.
The Padres’ biggest problem last season was not having enough righties in the lineup. Going out and getting guys like Andujar shows that Preller is trying to avoid that same situation in 2026.
Nick Castellanos — 1B
Castellanos follows Andujar in the no. 7 spot. So far, the Padres have six righties out of seven against Skubal.
Castellanos was released by the Phillies just before the start of Spring Training. He was quickly scooped up by the Padres soon after. The Phillies still owe Castellanos $20 million this season.
Castellanos has been taking reps at first base this Spring. Learning the position adds versatility to his game, giving Stammen more options when constructing his lineup from night to night.
This right-hander is a career .464 slugger. His presence should add a surge of power to the bottom of the lineup, something the Padres have sorely needed in the past season.,
Jake Cronenworth — 2B
This is a familiar spot for Cronenworth. The no. 8 spot will still be “The Crone Zone” at the start of 2026.
(Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
Cronenworth has gone off this Spring with a .457 OBP and a .995 OPS. With these numbers, he might not spend much time at this end of the lineup. This is All-Star level production, and if he keeps it up, Stammen will want to move him higher, where he’ll get more at-bats.
Freddy Fermin — C
Fermin was acquired last season at the Trade Deadline for Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek. He will be the team’s primary catcher going forward.
Fermin rounds out the Padres’ Opening Day lineup in the no. 9 spot. This Spring, he has a 1.090 OPS, way above his career .685. If this carries over to the regular season, opposing pitchers won’t have any breaks against this lineup.
The Padres’ Opening Day lineup is predicted to have just two lefties — Merrill and Cronenworth. This is ideal against a left-handed pitcher.
This past winter, Preller added a significant amount of depth to the roster. This means the lineup won’t look the same night after night. Stammen will have several options as the team moves from one matchup to the next. This will be a much more formidable offense than what was seen in past seasons.
The 2026 season starts on March 26 when the Padres host the Tigers at Petco Park. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. PDT.
Mike is the sports editor for the Fayette Advertiser, and has been with East Village Times since 2015. His work has appeared on Bleacher Report. He is an avid Padres fan who is keeping the faith and trusting the process.
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