The San Diego Padres are making a big move by hiring Craig Stammen as their new manager. Stammen’s three-year deal, which he signed on November 6, 2025, is an exciting new beginning for the organization after Mike Shildt retired in October. Stammen is going straight to the big leagues without ever managing anywhere else.

Stammen’s strong ties to San Diego baseball make this move interesting. The former reliever pitched in the big leagues for thirteen years, six of which he spent wearing a Padres uniform from 2017 to 2022. He knows this organization inside and out because he has been in the clubhouse and knows what it takes to compete at the highest level.

Who is Craig Stammen?

Craig Stammen’s career in professional baseball is a story of doing many things and not giving up. Born in North Star, Ohio, the Washington Nationals noticed him when they drafted him straight out of the University of Dayton in 2005.

When Stammen made it to the majors in 2009, the Nationals tested him as both a starter and a reliever. This gave him the freedom to pitch in different roles, which would define his early career. But baseball doesn’t always go as planned, and a forearm injury stopped his progress with Washington.

Stammen’s career literally took off when he signed with the San Diego Padres in 2016. His turning point.

During his six seasons with the team, he became a serious presence in the bullpen, pitching with a 3.66 ERA and becoming a locker room leader.

Craig Stammen’s Career Journey

Playing Career with the Nationals and Padres

Stammen spent seven seasons with the Washington Nationals, during which he had both good and bad times as a pitcher trying to find his rhythm in the big leagues. He had a 26–24 record from 2009 to 2015 and a 3.73 ERA over 490.2 innings of work, which is pretty good. During this time, he struck out 370 batters, but the best time for him as a reliever was between 2012 and 2014, when he really hit his stride. He was just starting to get things going when he hurt his flexor tendon, which ended his time in Washington and made him rethink his career and future in baseball.

After time away from baseball, when Stammen joined the Padres in 2017, he got a second wind and fully committed to being a relief pitcher. He played in 333 games over six seasons in San Diego and posted a 3.36 ERA over 394.1 innings. The numbers show that a pitcher who did his best work later in life. This shows that sometimes all you need is a new place to live and a clear role. Stammen ended his career after the 2022 season, ending a 13-year journey in Major League Baseball that was marked by adaptation and determination.

Transition from Player to Special Assistant

Stammen moved smoothly into the front office of the San Diego Padres after retiring in August 2023 because of a shoulder injury. Starting in January 2024, he worked for the Padres as a Special Assistant to Baseball Operations under General Manager A.J. Preller. Stammen used his years of playing experience to help with player development, coaching staff projects, and the organization’s strategy in this role. He was able to mentor younger players and make important decisions about baseball operations because he knew a lot about the game and was a former veteran pitcher. This set the stage for his future leadership in the organization.

Craig Stammen Named San Diego Padres Manager 

The San Diego Padres made news on November 6, 2025, when they hired Craig Stammen as their new manager and gave him a three-year deal to lead the team into the future. He takes over for Mike Shildt, who left after the 2025 season. What makes this move so interesting is how different it is from what most people do. Stammen has never managed a team before, not in the minors, not in independent ball, not anywhere. It’s really brave for a team that is doing so well to bet on a manager who has never managed before.

“Craig has been a strong presence in our organization for nearly a decade. He possesses deep organizational knowledge and brings natural leadership qualities to the manager’s chair,” Padres general manager A.J. Preller said in a statement. “As both a player and in his post-playing career, Craig has displayed an ability to elevate those around him. His strength of character, competitive nature and talent for bringing people together make him the ideal choice to lead the Padres.”

But this is where things get interesting. Stammen is the only active pitcher-turned-manager in Major League Baseball right now, which gives him a very different point of view. He stopped playing two years ago in 2023, so he has real experience with what today’s players go through every day. In addition, he built real relationships with the team and its players during his six seasons with the Padres from 2017 to 2022. Stammen has worked in the front office since then, so he knows a lot about how San Diego baseball works. This could be very helpful as he builds trust with the players.

Craig Stammen’s Family and Personal Life

Craig Stammen, a former MLB pitcher and the new manager of the San Diego Padres, is married to Audrey Stammen. Craig Stammen’s personal life centers around his wife, Audrey, and their four kids. The couple tied the knot on January 21, 2017, after being introduced by Tony Vittorio, Craig’s coach back at the University of Dayton. It’s a classic setup—the mentor playing matchmaker and getting it right.

Golf runs deep in their relationship, and things got wild during their honeymoon in Hawaii that same year when Audrey sank a hole-in-one—a moment that went viral and became one heck of a way to kick off married life.

Craig Stammen’s Ethnicity, Nationality, and Parents

Craig Stammen was born and raised in North Star, Ohio, by his parents, Jeff and Connie. He was born and raised in the heartland of America and went on to become a star in baseball. Stammen’s faith is very important to him. He is a devout Roman Catholic and has never been afraid to talk about his beliefs in public. His spirituality has affected who he is on and off the field throughout his career.

Craig Stammen’s Net Worth and Salary 

Craig Stammen has made a lot of money during his baseball career. According to salary sport data, his net worth is about $23.7 million, which is a lot of money for someone who has pitched in the major leagues for thirteen years. That money comes from the big contracts he signed with the Nationals and Padres, which were rewards for years of being a great professional.

What Craig Stammen Brings to the Padres

Craig Stammen isn’t coming in from the outside; he already knows the Padres organization very well. From 2017 to 2022, the guy pitched for San Diego for six seasons. During that time, he became the heart of the bullpen, the kind of leader teammates turned to when things got tough. He already has credibility with the players on the team, and now he’s adding experience in player development to his resume. Fans are buzzing because they see a manager who knows how to win at this level and has the connections to earn respect without having to prove anything in the clubhouse.

The timing couldn’t be more important. The Padres have a “win-now” roster and are eager to finally win the World Series, something that has haunted the team for Years. The team has had two straight 90-win seasons and made the playoffs recently, so Stammen has a good chance of being the one who pushes them over the edge. As he makes decisions about the offseason roster and balances the mix of established veterans and promising young talent, his ability to lead in tough situations will be put to the test right away. The pressure is on, but a guy who has already shown he belongs in San Diego is the best person to handle it.