Padres Manager Addresses Potentially Firing Hitting Coaches Amid Struggles

May 24, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres manager Craig Stammen (14) walks off the field during the fourth inning against the Athletics at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images David Frerker-Imagn Images

Padres Manager Addresses Potentially Firing Hitting Coaches Amid Struggles

Originally posted on San Diego Padres on SI
By Matt Levine | Last updated Jun 19, 2026 12:00 PM ET

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Over the last few weeks, the San Diego Padres have gone from being toward the top of the National League standings to barely holding onto a wild-card spot.

Much of this has been due to a lack of consistent offense, with the Padres being arguably the worst hitting team in baseball.

San Diego ranks dead last in team batting average (.218), slugging percentage (.316) and OPS (.652) in all of MLB. The team has tried everything to break out of its season long slump, but to this point, nothing has worked.

However, a coaching change doesn't appear to be in the team's future.

When asked on 97.3 The Fan if it was time to make some coaching changes, manager Craig Stammen pushed back on the idea.

"No, I don't think that makes any sense to me in my opinion," Stammen said. "I think the hitters are the ones taking at-bats on the field. They gotta figure it out. And we have a veteran clubhouse, those guys know what they gotta do to be able to hit.

"Our hitting coaches are doing a great job, like they have worked their tails off. They are coming up with new ideas every day, new ways to say things, and so far, we just haven't found the correct formula."

Craig Stammen joined @BenAndWoods and was asked if he's considered making any changes to his coaching staff: pic.twitter.com/m9FwTT1P0G
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) June 17, 2026

Padres hitting coach Steve Souza Jr. has taken a lot of the blame this year, but the players have supported him thus far.

With the Padres not expected to make any coaching changes, something will have to give for this team. Stammen has tried to stay positive, understanding all the frustration that has been going on around the team of late.

"I understand, our fans are passionate and they care a lot about the Padres," Stammen said. "Honestly, the people that care the most are the people in this clubhouse and this locker room. You talk about frustration, we're living it every day, and the one thing for fans is that these guys care about this immensely. And they go home thinking about it, thinking about it all day long."

Somehow, San Diego has been able to stay afloat in the standings, even with the major offensive struggles this season. This is due to the excellent bullpen put in place, but the team has come back down to earth from its early hot stretch.

With the MLB trade deadline coming up, the Padres could look to bring in some extra help to address some of the issues at the plate.

This team isn't getting any younger and the time is now to go after a World Series title. But if the offense doesn't improve, the postseason chances of this team will be diminished significantly.

This article first appeared on San Diego Padres on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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