Padres’ new lineup idea puts real pressure on Fernando Tatis Jr.

The Padres don’t have a ton of time to “find themselves” this spring. Craig Stammen is less than a month from setting his first Opening Day lineup that actually counts — March 26 at Petco Park — and he already tipped his hand with a move that felt way bigger than a random February batting order. 

On Day 1 of Cactus League play, Stammen ran out a top four that instantly changed the vibe:

1. Xander Bogaerts
2. Jackson Merrill
3. Manny Machado
4. Fernando Tatis Jr. 

Padres’ lineup idea may have just revealed what they really want from Tatis

The headline here isn’t “Bogaerts might lead off.” It’s that the Padres are openly considering moving Fernando Tatis Jr. out of the leadoff spot — and that choice quietly drops a spotlight directly on his 2026 identity.

Stammen basically said the part most managers tiptoe around: Tatis didn’t feel like leadoff was the best fit for him, even if he did it because it helped the team. Stammen left the door open for Tatis to lead off again at times, but he’s clearly trying something different right now. 

And “different” is code for: We need the scary version back.

Tatis walked more than ever last season (89), which is great — unless it’s paired with the lowest slugging percentage of his career (.446). Those numbers scream “productive,” but they also whisper something the Padres can’t afford: he didn’t consistently hit like a cleanup-level force. Stammen’s lineup is basically telling him, without telling him: we’re done treating you like a table-setter first. 

If Tatis hits fourth, it’s about damage. It’s about making pitchers pay for living in the zone because they’re terrified of walking Bogaerts and Merrill into a Manny-Tatis inning.

And that’s where Merrill at No. 2 is sneaky important. Merrill straight-up described why he likes the two-hole: more pitches to hit, fewer “free passes,” because nobody wants traffic ahead of Machado. It’s a role that invites aggression — which is exactly what Stammen seems to want from this lineup’s personality. 

Bogaerts leading off also isn’t random. Stammen referenced the bat Bogaerts showed in the playoffs and pointed to his baserunning value — including 20 steals with only two times caught — as part of why he can set the tone. 

Sure, Stammen warned everyone not to overreact to a spring lineup. But he also admitted it could foreshadow the real one. 

That’s the point: the Padres aren’t just setting the top of the order. They’re setting expectations.