The winds of change during the 2026 season started in Queens when the New York Mets got off to a horrible start that kept getting worse. This club had way too much talent to play this poorly, once committing six errors in a single game. So the team’s mild mannered skipper Carlos Mendoza, was told to hit the road.
A similar scenario is now brewing in San Diego, with the scuffling Padres in freefall mode. Nobody in their right mind expected the Friars to overtake the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West. But Las Vegas oddsmakers had the team on cruise control in route to a comfy wild card spot and possible first round series at home. Instead, the Padres have taken a nosedive, dropping below .500 that includes an eight game losing skid. In one recent encounter with the Chicago Cubs, the Friars were an embarrassment, losing by a team record score of 23-3. So it’s only natural that the natives are getting restless and calling for the dismissal of rookie manager Craig Stammen.
Mendoza and the Padres dugout boss are both young guys who are considered a player’s manager, always upbeat and going with the flow. They also accepted thrifty, club friendly contracts. However, Mendoza was a lame duck nearing the end of his three year deal. Stammen is locked in through 2028. Also, the ex-Met boss was Aaron Boone‘s bench coach with the Yankees for seven seasons. Craig was hired despite no previous coaching experience. Padres insiders claim that GM A.J. Preller passed over other more qualified candidates because he wanted someone he could allegedly control, although that is pure speculation.
Folks can blame Stammen until the cows come home, but the Padres have two glaring problems. The first issue is that the team is terribly inept in scoring runs, and that makes it hard to win games. They are dead last in that category among all 30 MLB clubs, as well as team batting average. This is a bunch that should be able to hit, with Fernando Tatis Jr. finally catching fire, steady veteran Xander Bogaerts and Manny Machado launching bombs. But the Padres unofficial captain has been the subject extreme negativity by the media, including a lack of hustle and emotion. Stats don’t lie and Machado’s miserable batting average of .189 is 86 points below his career average. He has been striking out at an alarming rate, and his failure to run out ground balls is a source of irritation since he rakes in $30 million per year. However, Manny leads the team in home runs with 18, and his blast in game four of the recent Dodgers series helped stop the bleeding and allowed this club to regroup.
“That’s baseball, man. It’s a beautiful game and we’re all stupid to be playing it,” said Machado somewhat sarcastically before a group of reporters.
The other issue this team has encountered is a lack of pitching, especially the starting rotation. Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla knew this from the get go, with Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove out of the picture. But in addition, veteran Nick Pivetta has been on the 60 day IL with elbow tenderness, Lucas Giolito with the same problem, plus Matt Waldron and Randy Vasquez. The overworked bullpen has suffered too, with Jason Adam, Jeremiah Estrada and David Morgan on the mend. That leaves staff ace Michael King, German Marquez, Griffin Canning, Walker Buehler and J.P. Sears to open games.
In prior seasons, GM Preller has addressed any Padre weaknesses and shortcomings, in this case pitching depth, by acquiring some reinforcements prior to the trade deadline. But with the new team ownership still yet to be official, the front office is handcuffed in terms of making any major financial changes in personnel. That means that until a few guys get healthy again, Niebla will have to did deeper into an already depleted farm system and find some fresh arms.
There is no reason why this team can’t hit and score runs in bunches. In addition to the previously mentioned “big three,” newcomer Ty France and Gavin Sheets have done a credible job at the plate. Outfielder Samad Taylor brings some speed to the lineup and versatile veteran Miguel Andujar has come through in the clutch. That said, previously injured Jake Cronenworth will have to step it up, and elite centerfielder Jackson Merrill will need to quit swinging for the fences and focus more on simply getting on base more often. The catching position has provided zero offense, but that should change with the return of Luis Campusano.
Bottom line, there’s no legit reason why Craig Stammen should suffer the same fate as Carlos Mendoza. The circumstances are different and I don’t think he’s going anywhere. The best thing this team can do is relax, focus and produce to the best of their ability. That’s my take and I’m sticking to it.
