The days of trying to catch a glimpse of Michael King throwing drills or Manny Machado participating in defensive drills are over. The Cactus League schedule begins today and it’s time to play some baseball.
The next month is crucial for the San Diego Padres as they face the Detroit Tigers on Opening Day at Petco Park on March 26. The Friars Faithful are hoping this season’s roster will take advantage.
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But before the season opener, the Padres need to answer three questions:
Who starts at 1B and DH?
The Friars have a number of candidates (Nick Castellanos, Ty France, Miguel Andujar and Gavin Sheets) vying for both positions in Peoria. Management plans to let the Cactus League schedule unfold before deciding which players will make the opening roster for the 2026 season.
Everyone has their own personal preference for each position, but performance in Cactus League games will determine who starts on Opening Day. If I had to predict an early ranking, let’s put Castellanos at first base and France as his defensive replacement in the late inning. Andujar and Sheets will line up at designated hitter.
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However, everything could change, especially if Castellanos makes some defensive mistakes while trying to learn a new position. Padres head coach Craig Staman may choose to utilize his bat as a full-time DH to start a better defensive infield. No team can survive by giving its opponent extra outs in an inning.
One thing is for sure: Castellanos will play a major role in the Friars’ offense this season.
Who is the Padres’ fifth starter?
Like it or not, the fifth starter will play a key role in the Padres’ success in 2026. The organization adds Walker Buehler, Germán Marks and Griffin Canning to an already crowded roster as Stamen has a big decision in front of him.
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Most teams prefer an experienced starting pitcher to fill the fifth starter role. They understand how to use all their pitching skills to get hitters out and get off to a quality start. It might not be pretty, but veteran starters know how to avoid overworking the bullpen.
Too often, young starting pitchers are thrown into the role and don’t know how to get out of it. They made mistakes early on and left a mess that needed the bullpen to clean up. Having too many outs to record reduces the effectiveness of relievers moving forward throughout the season.
It’s unclear whether one of the losers in the starting lineup will be the long man out of the bullpen. Stamann doesn’t have to make that decision just yet. This may depend on whether the pitcher has experience as a reliever.
The goal is to find a fifth starter who can cross the 2026-inning threshold. No matter which way the Friars go, they have more than enough quality candidates to choose from.
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Will the final bench spot go to the glove or the bat?
The Padres’ 2025 bullpen is arguably a veteran group that struggles offensively. This year’s bullpen appears to be made up of names from first base and designated hitter games. Other candidates include Song Chengwen and Luis Campasano, but Stammen has a tough decision to make for the final bench spot.
Often, the choice depends on what the player needs: a good glove or a bat. Ideally, you want an experienced, versatile veteran who can fill multiple positions. Nonetheless, candidates must be able to contribute.
Stamann’s decision may come down to the number of relievers on the roster in 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 this luxury will be short-lived.
The winner of this game may not be known until the team is introduced to the Petco Park crowd.