Three New Year's Resolutions for Padres Fans In 2026

Short of wishing ill will to that team just a couple hours north, this is the time of year where we put all the bad stuff that happened in the previous 12 months and look ahead optimistically toward the next dozen.

And for baseball fans, that can come in all shapes and sizes; whatever happens to your favorite team is completely out of your hands. Or is it? The good vibes fans give to players can work wonders, as we saw with deep postseason runs by a few teams with the positive mojo.

With that in mind, here are three things San Diego Padres fans should resolve to do in 2026.

1. I resolve to wait until the All-Star break to rip Craig Stammen.

Let's be honest. It is hard to tell what type of impact the new manager will have on the Padres. Stammen is a well-liked former reliever with a lot of history with the club and, therefore, the players he is now in charge of leading. But this is his first job as a manager at any level, and his most recent baseball experiences since his playing days ended were front-office-related.

The one thing we can be sure of is that he enters his managerial tenure with strong relationships with the players. That means he already has some latitude in dealing with Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and company. They are likely to go up to him with something that might be off or not sitting right with the clubhouse during spring training or the early stages of the regular season, at least until he gets his footing. 

Stammen's in-game decisions will come under scrutiny, but he has the counsel of Ruben Niebla, who returns as pitching coach and adds the title of associate manager after being a finalist for the manager's job, as well as new bench coach Randy Knorr, who had previously been with the Washington Nationals in a variety of roles.

Fans are quick to criticize when a different reliever comes in than what they want or when a pinch-hitting decision is made. Stammen deserves some leeway from the Friar faithful as he experiences what are going to be inevitable bumps in the road. Remember when you first started driving a car? It wasn't smooth, was it? The only difference is Stammen is behind the wheel of a porsche. Give him time to see how it handles.

2. I resolve to not complain daily about Xander Bogaerts' defense.

The metrics on the Friars' shortstop can be tilted for any argument. Statcast has Bogaerts' outs above average at a career-best eight for 2025, while the Fielding Bible has him with minus-4 runs saved, which ranked 16th among the 21 MLB shortstops with at least 1,000 innings. He committed eight errors, matching the fewest in any full season in which he was a primary shortstop. His fielding percentage of .980 was just three ticks above the league average.

So, that is what the Padres have — a league-average shortstop. Now, that might not sit well considering Bogaerts is entering his fourth Opening Day as the Padres' highest-paid player at nearly $24.5 million (Machado takes that spot in 2027 when his salary jumps to just over $39 million). His bat was supposed to overcome any defensive liabilities, but like his defense, Bogaerts' offense has been average or just below the last two seasons with an OPS+ of 92 and 99 in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

How much longer Bogaerts is at the position is a subject for another day, but just remember to take it easy with the curse words when he doesn't make a play. The glove has never been spectacular, and Friars fans should be hoping his offense gets back closer to what the back of his baseball card shows.

3. I resolve to treasure every game at Petco Park.

Of all the resolutions one could make regarding the Padres, this should be the easiest one to keep. In the last three seasons, the we have filled our team's stadium unlike 28 other teams. (Yeah, the Los Angeles Dodgers rule this category, too.)

Technically, Petco Park has a capacity of 39,860 since the beginning of the 2024 season, but there have been an average of more than 40,000 spectators filling the beautiful downtown stadium. The Padres have ranked second (twice) and third in attendance the last three years, including a franchise best 42,435 in 2025. Where those extra 6,000 bodies are squeezed in is anyone's guess.

But, combine the way the team has been playing in recent seasons with all of the downtown eateries and watering holes, not to mention the skyline views, and it's easy to see why Petco Park is one of the best experiences in baseball. Walk-off win? Exit the stadium and celebrate while walking with the rest of your group down Tony Gwynn Drive. A blowout loss? Find your favorite establishment and drown your sorrows. Regardless, Petco Park is one of the crown jewels of MLB stadiums. Enjoy it!