Former Padres relief pitcher becomes team’s 19th full-time manager.
The Padres have hired a new manager.
The choice is outside the box but from inside the organization. He is relatively unknown by many who follow the game but highly respected by many in the game.
Craig Stammen, who spent six years as a Padres relief pitcher, has agreed to a three-year contract to become the team’s next manager.
The team announced the hire Thursday morning.
The 41-year-old Stammen will be learning on the job, but he is already familiar with the franchise.
After pitching in the major leagues for 12 seasons, including 2017 through 2022 with the Padres before his retirement in March 2023, Stammen served as a special assistant in the player development department the past two years. In that role, he alternated between working with minor leaguers and spending time with the big-league club.
In his six seasons pitching for the Padres, he grew to possess a leadership role that was extremely rare for a middle reliever, serving as a mentor and sounding board in all corners of the clubhouse. Among those who revered him and were swayed by his counsel in various instances was Manny Machado.Starting pitcher Craig Stammen #34 of the San Diego Padres throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on Aug. 15, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/ )
Stammen had a 3.
