Padres’ AJ Preller bets on continuity as pitching coach's future is weighed

With Mike Shildt stepping down from his post, the San Diego Padres needed to hire a new manager this offseason after winning 90+ games in back-to-back campaigns for the first time in franchise history.

And yet, even with those lofty expectations in place, A.J. Preller and the front office shocked the world by choosing former Padres reliever Craig Stammen to lead the dugout.

Stammen, who spent the final six seasons of his career as a reliever in the Friars' bullpen, rejoined the organization as an assistant to the major league coaching staff and baseball operations department prior to the 2024 season. However, he hadn't been mentioned in any managerial rumors up until the time of the official announcement.

Instead, rumored candidates included presumed favorite Albert Pujols, former Padres catcher Nick Hundley, and current pitching coach Ruben Niebla.

Ruben Niebla likely to stay, but Padres run risk of upsetting pitching coach with managerial hire

Niebla is the most important of the bunch, as he's served in his current role for the past four seasons. He's expressed interest in being a big league manager before, and there are worries that he may leave San Diego after being passed up for the Padres' top coaching job.

So, what's to come for Niebla and the Padres?

A big reason Niebla was considered a favorite for the job was his work with the team's constantly-in-flux pitching staff over the previous few seasons.

He helped convert Michael King into an excellent starter, just aided Nick Pivetta's breakout campaign, and has been responsible for the up-and-down dominance of the Padres' league-best bullpen. Losing him would be catastrophic, though it sounds like, for now, he'll stick around under Stammen.

Funnily enough, Stammen's final season in the majors coincided with Niebla's maiden campaign as the team's pitching coach. Odds are they have a strong relationship, though it's hard not to imagine that Niebla feels overlooked after a former disciple with no professional coaching experience is getting the job over him.

Beyond the risk of Stammen being unfit for the task of guiding the Padres to their first World Series appearance since 1998, there's also a chance that another quick postseason exit in 2026 could leave Niebla disgruntled and looking for work elsewhere. That's just a hypothetical for now, but teams around the league surely recognize his brilliance; it won't be hard for someone with his résumé to find work.

For now, Niebla will focus his efforts on helping Stammen navigate a perilous pitching staff situation. Yu Darvish will miss the entire 2026 season with an elbow injury, Joe Musgrove hasn't thrown a competitive pitch since the 2024 playoffs, and Michael King and Dylan Cease may leave San Diego for greener pastures in free agency. Both pitching coach and manager will have their work cut out for them to help the Padres improve on their NL Wild Card Round finish.