The days of trying to get a glimpse of a Michael King throwing session or Manny Machado participating in fielding drills are over. It is time to play baseball, as the Cactus League schedule kicked off today.
The next month is crucial for the San Diego Padres, as it leads up to hosting the Detroit Tigers on Opening Day, March 26, at Petco Park. The Friar Faithful hope this season’s roster will play with an edge.
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But before the season opener, the Padres have three questions to answer:
Who is starting at 1B and DH?
The Friars have plenty of candidates (Nick Castellanos, Ty France, Miguel Andujar and Gavin Sheets) battling for these two positions in Peoria. The front office plans to let the Cactus League schedule unfold before deciding which player will be in the lineup to open the 2026 season.
Everyone has their own personal favorite for each position, but producing in Cactus League games will dictate who is starting on Opening Day. If I have to predict an early leaderboard, let’s put Castellanos at first base with France as his late-innings defensive replacement. Andujar and Sheets will platoon at the designated hitter position.
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However, all is subject to change, especially if Castellanos has a few fielding mishaps while attempting to learn a new position. Padres manager Craig Stammen may opt to utilize his bat as a full-time DH to start a better defensive infield. No team can survive by giving their opponents extra outs in an inning.
One thing is for certain: Castellanos will have a major role in the Friars’ offense this season.
Who is the Padres’ fifth starter?
Like it or not, the fifth starter will have a pivotal role in the success of the 2026 Padres. The organization added Walker Buehler, German Marquez and Griffin Canning to an already crowded field, as Stammen has a major decision ahead of him.
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Most teams prefer an experienced starting pitcher in the fifth starter’s role. They understand how to use their entire pitching repertoire to get batters out and earn a quality start. It may not be pretty, but a veteran starter knows how to avoid overworking a bullpen.
Too often, young starting pitchers are thrown into this role with no knowledge of how to pitch out of trouble. They stumble in their starts and leave a mess for the bullpen to clean up. Too many outs to record that reduces the effectiveness of the relievers moving forward through the season.
It is unclear if one of the losers in the starter competition will become the long-man out of the bullpen. Stammen does not have to make that decision at this time. It may come down to whether the pitcher has experience as a reliever.
The goal is to find a fifth starter who can exceed their 2026 innings threshold. Whatever direction the Friars go, they have enough quality candidates to choose from.
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Will the final bench spot go to a glove or a bat?
The 2025 Padres bench can be characterized as a veteran group that struggled with offensive production. This year’s bench seems set with names from the first base and designated hitter competition. Other candidates include Sung-Mun Song and Luis Campusano, but Stammen has a tough decision for the final bench spot.
Often, the choice comes down to what the roster needs: a good glove or bat. Ideally, you want a seasoned veteran who is versatile enough to play multiple positions. Still, the candidate must be able to contribute at the plate.
Stammen’s decision may hinge on the number of relievers kept on the roster for the first few weeks of the regular season. With multiple off days, the Friars may be able to keep an extra position player on the bench. But that luxury will be short-lived.
The winner of this competition may not be known until the team is introduced to the Petco Park crowd.