For an offense that finished 2025 at the bottom of the league in slugging (22nd) and home runs (28th), it was nice to see the San Diego Padres produce their first runs of Cactus League play on the strength of a solo home run from Romeo Sanabria in the top of the sixth inning and a two-run home run from Jose Miranda in the top of the seventh inning during their 7-4 loss to the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Stadium on Friday. Of course, Sanabria and Miranda will not be everyday players for the Padres, but it could indicate the offensive approach in San Diego is changing or has changed under new hitting coach Steven Souza Jr.
The lineup definitely changed under new Padres manager Craig Stammen and it was a welcome sight for Padres fans who watched former manager Mike Shildt refuse to move Luis Arraez out of the second spot in the lineup despite his struggles last season. Xander Bogaerts, Jackson Merrill, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. were the top four in the lineup, and they produced just one hit on an infield single to start the game by Bogaerts. Jake Cronenworth, Nick Castellanos, Luis Campusano, Ty France and Nick Schnell combined to add just two more hits in the contest.
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Hitters often take longer to find their swing in Spring Training and with this being the first game of the spring, there is no reason to get too excited about the success of Sanabria and Miranda or too upset about the stat lines of the big names at the top of the lineup. Cronenworth was the only other regular in the San Diego lineup to record a hit, but he should have had two and two RBI. It took a diving play in the first inning by Seattle right fielder Dominic Canzone to keep Cronenworth off the basepaths and the Padres off the scoreboard. Cronenworth hit the ball well in his two plate appearances.
Castellanos, who got the start at first base, made two nice plays of his own on defense in the bottom of the fourth inning. The first play required him to range to his right to field a ground ball off the bat of J.P. Crawford and then make an underhand throw to pitcher Wandy Peralta who was covering first base for the first out of the inning. The second play resulted in the final out of the inning. Castellanos made a diving play to his right on a hard ground ball by Colt Emmerson with a runner on second base, recovered and made an overhand throw to Peralta at first to end the frame and keep the Mariners from adding to their 3-0 lead.
Stammen was unable to get his first win as a manager in the first game of the spring season, but he and the Padres will have another chance when San Diego plays the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Ariz. on Saturday at 12:05 p.m.
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