Tatis Jr. Draft

Lore & Background

The Padres adopted their name from the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League (PCL), a team that arrived in San Diego in 1936. This minor league franchise won the PCL title in 1937, led by 18-year-old Ted Williams, the future Hall of Famer who was a native of San Diego. In 1969, the Padres joined the ranks of Major League Baseball as one of four new expansion teams. One of its earliest owners was C. Arnholt Smith.

Despite initial excitement, the team struggled: the Padres finished in last place in each of its first six seasons in the National League West, losing 100 games or more four times. One of the few bright spots during the early years was first baseman and slugger Nate Colbert. The team's fortunes gradually improved as they won five National League West titles and reached the World Series twice, in 1984 and in 1998, but lost both times. The Padres' main draw during the 1980s and 1990s was Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, who won eight NL batting titles.

They moved into their current stadium, Petco Park, in 2004. In 1990, then-owner Joan Kroc tried to give the franchise to the city of San Diego, but dropped the proposal after a baseball owners’ committee declined to consider the plan. On August 20, 2020, the Padres became the first team in MLB history to hit a grand slam in four consecutive games. Until 2021, the Padres were the last team in MLB that had yet to throw a no-hitter.

The record was broken on April 9, 2021, as Joe Musgrove accomplished the feat. In 2024, Dylan Cease threw a no-hitter against the Nationals on July 25. On November 14, 2023, Peter Seidler, who owned the Padres since 2012, died at the age of 63. MLB owners approved of John Seidler as the Padres' control person on February 6, 2025.

In April 2026, a sale was finalized for the Padres to be sold to José E. Feliciano for $3.9 billion. On May 2, 2026, the Padres announced a sale to Feliciano and Kwanza Jones, pending the next MLB owners meeting.

Reader's Guide

The Padres have retired six numbers: Steve Garvey (No. 6), Randy Jones (No. 35), Dave Winfield (No. 31), Tony Gwynn (No. 19), Trevor Hoffman (No. 51), and Jackie Robinson's No. 42 retired throughout MLB. The numbers are displayed in the Ring of Honor at Petco Park. The Padres also have a 'star on the wall' in honor of broadcaster Jerry Coleman, and the initials of the late owner Ray Kroc are also displayed.

Did You Know?

• The Padres are tied with the Milwaukee Brewers as the oldest teams never to have won the World Series.
• Randy Jones achieved the first Cy Young Award for the Padres in 1976.
• Ken Caminiti became the first Padres player to win the MVP Award in 1995.
• As of the 2025 season, the Padres have had 19 winning seasons in franchise history.