Scouting Report: Craig Stammen

Summary

Craig Stammen is the first-year manager of the San Diego Padres, hired on a three-year contract after serving as a special assistant in the front office. Despite a slow start to the 2026 season, the Padres won 15 of their next 20 games and moved to second place in the NL West. Stammen has been praised for his ability to construct lineups based on analytics and matchups, frequently adjusting the batting order to maximize scoring opportunities. He has made some questionable in-game decisions (such as removing Michael King early and benching Fernando Tatis Jr. for defensive purposes), but has generally been successful with his strategic moves. Stammen has shown strong support for struggling players like Tatis, demonstrating confidence in his roster despite individual performance issues. The team has dealt with significant injuries to the starting rotation, including German Márquez's forearm nerve inflammation.