Padres Spring Training Update: Craig Stammen names closer, Joe Musgrove's ramp up, Andujar’s role

Craig Stammen naming a closer this early shouldn’t be a surprise. When a former big leaguer like Stammen looks at what Mason Miller just did in a Padres uniform and says, basically, yep, that’s our guy, it’s clarity. The Padres aren’t treating the ninth inning like an ongoing experiment. And quite frankly, they have no reason to.

A 0.77 ERA in 22 appearances is already ridiculous. Striking out 45 of the 83 batters he faced is even more cartoonish. Then he gets to October and somehow finds another gear — two appearances, eight strikeouts, nine hitters, and a stretch of eight consecutive Ks that literally tied a postseason record.

Padres spring training update reveals a fragile balancing act behind the rotation talk

Stammen’s comment about the franchise’s closer lineage is doing some work too. Padres fans know the names — Hoffman is basically a religion here — and invoking that tradition isn’t an accident. It’s the organization saying, “We’re not rebuilding the bullpen. We’re building a finish.”

Of course, the part that keeps spring training honest is the rotation health. Joe Musgrove coming back from Tommy John is great news, but it also means the Padres are going to be careful even if he looks ready. That’s the reality of 2026: you’re not just trying to get Musgrove on the mound, you’re trying to get him to October without running him into the ground in May. Same goes for Michael King. He’s saying all the right things, but last season’s nerve issue and knee injury — plus only 15 starts — is a reminder that even if he’s healthy right now, it isn’t the same as “bankable workload.”

And then there’s Miguel Andújar, who feels like the most “this is a Padres move” piece of the puzzle. He’s planned to be used like a scalpel. If he’s mostly DH’ing against lefties and popping up as a specialty bat, the roster will be squeezing value out of matchups without pretending he needs to be an everyday answer.

Put it all together and the Padres’ spring training vibe is pretty clear: define the end of games with Miller, manage the rotation like you’re playing the long game, and squeeze offense wherever the matchup gives it to you.