San Diego Padres facts for kids

Quick facts for kids San Diego Padres
2025 San Diego Padres season
Established in 1969
Team logo Cap insignia
Major league affiliations
National League (1969–present) West Division (1969–present)
Current uniform
Retired numbers	6 19 31 35 51 42
Colors
Brown, gold, white
Name
San Diego Padres (1969–present)
Other nicknames
The Pads The Friars Slam Diego Padres Slam Diego
Ballpark
Petco Park (2004–present) San Diego Stadium (1969–2003)
Major league titles
World Series titles (0)	None
NL Pennants (2)	1984 1998
West Division titles (5)	1984 1996 1998 2005 2006
Wild card berths (3)	2020 2022 2024
Front office
Principal owner(s)	Estate of Peter Seidler
President of baseball operations	A. J. Preller
General manager	A. J. Preller
Manager	Mike Shildt

The San Diego Padres are a professional baseball team from San Diego, California. They play in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) West Division. Their home games are played at Petco Park in downtown San Diego.

The team started in 1969 as a new expansion team. They got their name from an older baseball team in San Diego that played in the Pacific Coast League. The name "Padres" means "fathers" in Spanish. It refers to the Spanish Franciscan friars who founded Mission San Diego de Alcalá in 1769.

Over the years, the Padres have had many great players. In 1976, Randy Jones won the team's first Cy Young Award, given to the best pitcher. In the 1980s, Tony Gwynn became a huge star, winning eight batting titles. This means he had the best hitting average in the National League eight times!

The Padres reached the World Series twice, in 1984 and 1998, but they lost both times. They are the oldest team in MLB that has not yet won a World Series. As of 2024, the Padres have had 18 winning seasons.

Team History

Early Days in San Diego

The Padres team name came from a Pacific Coast League team that played in San Diego starting in 1936. This minor league team won a championship in 1937. A famous player named Ted Williams, who later became a Hall of Famer, played for them when he was just 18 years old. He was from San Diego.

Joining Major League Baseball

In 1969, the Padres joined Major League Baseball as one of four new teams. Even with a new stadium, the team had a tough start. They finished in last place for their first six seasons. They lost 100 games or more in four of those years. One of the few bright spots was first baseman Nate Colbert, who held the team's home run record for a long time.

The team slowly got better. They won their division five times and reached the World Series in 1984 and 1998. They lost both times. A big reason for their success in the 1980s and 1990s was Tony Gwynn, who was an amazing hitter. In 2004, the Padres moved into their current stadium, Petco Park.

On August 20, 2020, the Padres made history. They became the first MLB team to hit a grand slam (a home run with the bases loaded) in four games in a row! This earned them the fun nickname "Slam Diego Padres."

For a long time, the Padres were the only MLB team that had never thrown a no-hitter (a game where a pitcher doesn't allow any hits). This changed on April 9, 2021, when Joe Musgrove threw a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers. In 2024, another Padres pitcher, Dylan Cease, also threw a no-hitter.

The team was owned by Peter Seidler from 2012 until he passed away in 2023.

Playoff History

The Padres have made it to the playoffs several times. Here's how they've done:

Team Achievements

The Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998. This means they were the best team in the National League those years. However, they lost the World Series both times. They are one of only two teams in their division that have never won the World Series.

Baseball Hall of Famers

Many great players who played for the Padres are now in the Baseball Hall of Fame. This is a special place for the best players in baseball history.

Retired Numbers

Numbers retired by the Padres displayed in Ring of Honor above the press box at Petco Park during the 2016 season

The Padres have retired six numbers. This means no other player on the team can ever wear those numbers again. It's a special way to honor very important players. These numbers are shown at Petco Park's entrance.

Steve Garvey was the first player to have his number (6) retired in 1988. He played only five seasons with the Padres. But he hit a game-winning home run in the 1984 playoffs that helped the Padres reach their first World Series.

Gwynn's retired No. 19 displayed at Petco Park.

On April 15, 1997, Jackie Robinson's number 42 was retired by all of Major League Baseball. Later that year, Randy Jones's number 35 was retired by the Padres. He was a two-time All-Star and the team's first Cy Young Award winner.

Dave Winfield's number 31 was retired in 2001. He played his first eight seasons with the Padres. In 2004, the Padres retired number 19 for Tony Gwynn. He played his entire 20-year career with San Diego and is considered the greatest Padres player ever. The most recent number retired was Trevor Hoffman's number 51 in 2011. He was one of the best closers (pitchers who finish games) in baseball history.

Retired numbers were displayed atop the batter's eye at Petco Park until 2016

† Number retired by Major League Baseball

The Padres also honor their former broadcaster Jerry Coleman and former owner Ray Kroc with special displays at Petco Park. In 2024, the team also honored their late owner Peter Seidler with his initials "PS" inside a gold heart. A street near Petco Park will also be named "Peter Seidler Street."

Padres Hall of Fame

Opening of Padres Hall of Fame at Petco Park on July 1, 2016

The San Diego Padres have their own Hall of Fame to honor important people from the team's history. Since 1999, 16 people have been inducted.

Nate Colbert

Ray Kroc

Trevor Hoffman

San Diego Padres Hall of Fame

San Diego Hall of Champions

Several Padres players are also in the San Diego Hall of Champions. This hall honors athletes who are from San Diego or who played for San Diego teams.

Team Roster

Minor League Teams

The San Diego Padres have several minor league teams. These teams help young players develop their skills before they play in the major leagues.

Team Logos and Colors

The San Diego Padres have used many different logos, uniforms, and colors throughout their history.

Original Brown and Gold (1969–1979)

The first Padres logo in 1969 showed a friar (a type of monk) swinging a bat. This "Swinging Friar" has been a part of the team's look ever since. He is still the team's mascot. The original colors were brown and gold.

Brown, Gold, and Orange (1980–1984)

Cap logo from 1969 to 1984. The cap was originally brown for the first four Padre seasons before it was switched to yellow with brown panels. Orange was added in 1980.

In 1980, the Padres added orange to their colors. Their uniforms changed to include orange in the letters and stripes. In 1984, they added the initials "RAK" to their uniforms to honor Ray Kroc, who owned the team.

Brown and Orange Pinstripes (1985–1990)

LaMarr Hoyt in 1985

In 1985, the Padres changed their logo to a script-like "Padres" wordmark. They also started wearing brown and orange pinstriped uniforms.

Blue and Orange (1991–2003)

The Tony Gwynn exhibit in 2007, featuring the 1994 home and 2001 alternate Padres uniform.

In 1991, the team's colors changed to orange and navy blue. The home uniforms had navy blue pinstripes. The road uniforms had "San Diego" written in blue letters. They also had a navy blue cap with a white "S" and orange "D".

Blue and Sand (2004–2015)

When the team moved to Petco Park in 2004, their logo changed again. It looked like home plate with "San Diego" and "Padres" written on it. Navy blue stayed, but a sandy beige color replaced orange.

Jake Peavy in 2006

For several years, the Padres were the only MLB team without a gray jersey. They wore sand-colored uniforms on the road.

Blue and White (2016–2019)

In 2016, the Padres tried a navy blue and gold color scheme. Then, in 2017, they changed again to navy blue and white. The word "Padres" returned to the front of the home uniform.

Return to Brown and Gold (2020–Present)

Fernando Tatís Jr. wearing the brown and gold home uniform that was introduced prior to the 2020 season

In 2020, the team brought back their original brown and gold colors! The new uniforms have pinstripes on the home jersey and a sand-colored road jersey. They also have an all-brown cap with "SD" in gold. The Padres are now the only team in the league that doesn't use a gray jersey.

City Connect Uniforms

In 2022, the Padres wore special "City Connect" uniforms. These white uniforms had pink, mint green, and yellow colors. They said "San Diego" in a graffiti style. These uniforms honored the connection between San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico.

Team Mascot

The "Swinging Friar".

The Padres' official mascot is the "Swinging Friar." He is a friendly character dressed like a friar. He swings a baseball bat and rings a mission bell after home wins. He represents the Spanish friars who founded San Diego.

The Swinging Friar first appeared in the 1950s when the Padres were a minor league team. He became the official mascot when the team joined MLB in 1969.

Team Rivalries

The Padres have a big rivalry with the Los Angeles Dodgers. This rivalry has become more exciting in recent years. The two cities are close, and San Diego fans often feel strongly about Los Angeles sports teams. This is partly because other San Diego teams, like the Chargers and Clippers, moved to Los Angeles. The Dodgers currently lead the overall series against the Padres.

Military Appreciation

San Diego is home to many military bases. The Padres are proud to honor the military. In 1996, they became the first sports team to have an annual military appreciation event.

Since 2000, the Padres have worn special camouflage jerseys to honor the military. They wear these uniforms for every Sunday home game, and on holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day. The Padres are the only MLB team allowed to wear six different uniforms per season because of this tradition.

Marine recruits from nearby Marine Corps Recruit Depot often attend games. The team plays the Marines' Hymn during the fourth inning stretch to honor them. This is part of a large program to support the military community in San Diego.

Radio and Television

You can watch Padres games on TV through "PADRES.TV." This is available on various cable providers and streaming services. Don Orsillo is the main announcer for TV games.

You can also listen to Padres games on the radio. In English, games are on KWFN 97.3 The Fan. Jesse Agler is the play-by-play announcer. In Spanish, games are on XEMO-AM, La Poderosa 860 AM.

The Padres have also been featured in movies and TV shows. In 1979, the TV movie The Kid from Left Field showed a young boy managing the Padres to the World Series. In 2016, the TV series Pitch was about the first female player in Major League Baseball, who played for the Padres.

Images for kids

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  Tony Gwynn, Hall of Famer

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  Dave Winfield, Hall of Famer

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  Randy Jones in 1978