Everything You Need to Know Before Padres 2026 Spring Training

After a 90-win regular season in 2025, the Padres look to bounce back from a frustrating Wild Card Round exit at the hands of the Chicago Cubs.

The team will look for a fresh start in the 2026 season to right what went wrong last year, and they certainly have gone in the right direction with new hires across the coaching staff. Craig Stammen has taken over the head coaching role after former manager Mike Shildt’s departure. At the same time, Steven Souza Jr. and Randy Knorr have been named Hitting Coach and Bench Coach, respectively.

Stammen is no stranger to the Padres organization. The new manager was a relief pitcher in San Diego from 2017 to 2022, then re-joined the coaching staff and baseball operations department in 2024.

Before he gets to Opening Day, Stammen must oversee the first workout for Padres pitchers and catchers today. Some pitchers arrived early at Spring Training, such as Mason Miller, Nick Pivetta, and many more showing up before their report date. The first full-squad workout is set for February 15.

The Padres open Cactus League play on February 20 at 12:10 p.m. PT against the Mariners, with whom they share Peoria Sports Complex, and will play four more times in Arizona.

Other notable opponents are the Dodgers twice (only Feb. 22 is with a full squad, Mar. 20 is a split squad), the Giants twice on Mar. 1 and Mar. 16, and the Cubs twice on Feb. 24 and Mar. 6.

On March 4, the Padres are scheduled to face off against Team Great Britain in an exhibition. As the team headlined by Yankees star Jazz Chisholm Jr. gets ready for the World Baseball Classic, the Padres can get acclimated to countless players with major league experience

Here's a look at our 2026 #PadresST schedule 🌵 pic.twitter.com/XAIqS9wxEL
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) November 5, 2025

During this time, 11 players from the Padres organization will depart from Peoria to gear up for the WBC, including Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado, who will join Team Dominican Republic.

The event begins on March 4 in Tokyo, but the other three pool play venues in Houston, Miami, and Puerto Rico begin play on March 6 and will continue to March 11. Knockout round games start March 13, with the finals scheduled for March 17 at loanDepot Park in Miami.

With the certainty of many Padres' cornerstone players missing at least a week of Spring Training play and the possibility of some missing even more time, it leaves opportunities for players trying to earn a roster spot for the upcoming 2026 season. 28 players received non-roster invites for the spring, and early March could be a time to make a lasting impression on the coaching staff.

On March 21, the Padres will take on the Cubs in Mesa, Arizona, as part of Spring Breakout—a four‑day event in which all 30 teams showcase their top prospects. Rosters for the game will be announced at a later date.

Padres fans can attend workouts, as they are public and include access to players before and after each workout.

General Manager A.J. Preller is still on the hunt for another bat and a starting pitcher, but time could be running out as options for which players to add are running thin.

It’s an intriguing time for the Padres. A new regime in the coaching staff, star players playing high-stakes baseball worldwide, and more roster spots to be filled sum up the excitement of this saga of Padres baseball.

This period of returning to Arizona after a long offseason means how close baseball really is. Before we know it, Opening Day will be right around the corner, and Petco Park will be full of a sea of San Diegans once again.