Credit: Brandon Pollard/ Sporting Tribune- EVT Sports
The San Diego Padres introduced Craig Stammen as the 24th manager in franchise history on Monday.
The 30-minute press conference saw statements from San Diego Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller as well as Stammen himself.
The Padres’ new skipper’s comments shed some light on how he plans to proceed in his new role with a slightly familiar cast of faces from his time as a player, as well as the ultimate goal of achieving a championship. The presser provided significant takeaways for the Padres under Stammen’s leadership.
1. Stammen’s ability to guide a clubhouse
Stammen mentioned during his opening remarks that veterans on the Padres teams he played on could see him possibly managing someday. Among those names mentioned were Manny Machado, Eric Hosmer, Wil Myers, and Ian Kinsler. Stammen was a leader in the Padres’ clubhouse and one who set an example both on and off the field.
As a reliever, Stammen was the guy to be ready from pitch one to the end of the game, as he said. When looking at his career, it backs up, as he appeared in every innings (from the first to extras) at least twice during his Padres tenure. Stammen spoke highly to the kind of culture he is looking to build with the team, building off the foundation set by Mike Shildt, with hopes of guiding the team to give that extra 1%.
This is something special. pic.twitter.com/3aCdZuACcF
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) November 10, 2025
2. Stammen’s tight connection with Ruben Niebla
When Stammen was a minor league free agent after his release from the Nationals, two teams were heavily recruiting him: the Cleveland Guardians and San Diego Padres. Stammen signed with Cleveland in large part due to the reputation of then-Guardians minor league pitching coordinator Ruben Niebla, only to miss time due to injury. Stammen and Niebla’s paths would cross again in 2022, as Stammen was a key piece of Niebla’s first pitching staff with San Diego.
Stammen acknowledged his relationship with Niebla, indicating that he has all the trust in the world in Niebla. “He’s the guy I’m gonna rely on the most,” Stammen said of the Padres’ pitching coach. There is a clear trust between Stammen and Niebla, which bodes well for communication amongst the coaching staff (a notable point of contention with Stammen’s predecessor). Both Stammen and Preller acknowledge how important Niebla is for the team, with Preller stating, “We’ve spent a couple of 15-hour days with Ruben and Craig talking about how we can be better… (Ruben) is gonna have a big time voice in it. He’s gonna continue to get more opportunities, not just to help the pitchers.”
3. Serving as a special assistant has familiarized Stammen with the organization from top to bottom.
After he announced his retirement, Craig Stammen became a special assistant to the Padres’ front office. A.J. Preller noted that they wanted to keep a mind like Stammen in the organization, and the role allowed Stammen to be involved in all facets of the organization while balancing his work and family life. Stammen did not just sit in on coaching meetings; he was involved with the front office at the trade deadline and offseasons, and would make trips to minor league affiliates to work with San Diego’s minor league pitchers. Stammen has seen the inner workings of the organization and has become familiar with all levels of the team, so his knowledge could be a factor in guiding the team forward with both returning faces and prospects on the rise.
While this is not as much a takeaway, A.J. Preller emphasized how prior managerial experience was not a defining trait in the search. As Preller detailed, the Padres have made the playoffs under first-time managers and veteran managers during his tenure (Jayce Tingler in 2020, Bob Melvin in 2022, Mike Shildt in 2024-25). Past teammates and coaches have voiced their support for Stammen, and the front office has faith that he can be the man to lead the team going forward, even for the long run.
A born and raised San Diegan, Diego Garcia is a lifetime Padres fan and self-proclaimed baseball nerd. Diego wrote about baseball on his own site between 2021-22 before joining the East Village Times team in 2024. He also posts baseball content on his YouTube channel “Stat Nerd Baseball”, creating content around trades, hypotheticals, player analyses, the San Diego Padres, and MLB as a whole.
A 2024 graduate of San Diego State, Diego aims to grow as a writer and content creator in the baseball community.
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