San Diego Padres facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Diego Padres |
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 2025 San Diego Padres season |
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| Retired numbers | |||||
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| Major league titles | |||||
| World Series titles (0) | None | ||||
| NL Pennants (2) |
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| West Division titles (5) |
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| Wild card berths (3) |
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| Front office | |||||
| Principal owner(s) | John Seidler | ||||
| President of baseball operations | A. J. Preller | ||||
| General manager | A. J. Preller | ||||
| Manager | Mike Shildt | ||||
| Mascot(s) | Swinging Friar | ||||
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The San Diego Padres are a professional baseball team. They play in Major League Baseball (MLB). The team is part of the National League (NL) West Division. Their home games are played at Petco Park in downtown San Diego.
The Padres started in 1969 as a new team. They got their name from an older baseball team in San Diego. The name "Padres" means "fathers" in Spanish. It refers to the Spanish Franciscan friars. These friars 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. This award goes to the best pitcher. In the 1980s, Tony Gwynn became a huge star. He won eight National League batting titles. This means he was the best hitter many times!
The Padres reached the World Series twice. They won the NL pennant in 1984 and 1998. However, they lost both World Series games. They are one of the oldest teams never to have won the World Series. As of the 2024 season, the Padres have had 18 winning seasons. They have made it to the postseason five times since 2005.
Contents
Team History
The Padres got their name from a minor league team. This team was called the San Diego Padres. They played in the Pacific Coast League since 1936. A famous player named Ted Williams played for them in 1937. He was only 18 years old then.
In 1969, the Padres joined Major League Baseball. They were one of four new teams. Other teams included the Montreal Expos (now the Washington Nationals). The team struggled a lot at first. They finished last in their division for six years. They lost 100 games or more four times. Nate Colbert was one of the few good players early on. He was the team's home run leader for a long time.
Things got better for the team later. They won five National League West titles. They reached the World Series in 1984 and 1998. But they lost both times. Tony Gwynn was a huge star in the 1980s and 1990s. He is now in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The team moved to their current stadium, Petco Park, in 2004.
On August 20, 2020, the Padres made history. They hit a grand slam in four games in a row! This earned them the nickname "Slam Diego Padres."
Until 2021, the Padres were the only MLB team without a no-hitter. A no-hitter is when a pitcher doesn't let the other team get any hits. On April 9, 2021, Joe Musgrove finally threw one. He did it against the Texas Rangers. In 2024, Dylan Cease also threw a no-hitter.
The team's owner, Peter Seidler, passed away in November 2023. His brother, John Seidler, became the new control person in February 2025.
Postseason Games
The Padres have played in the postseason several times. This is where teams compete for the championship.
| Year | Wild Card | NLDS | NLCS | World Series | ||||
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| 1984 | None | None | Chicago Cubs | W (3–2) | Detroit Tigers | L (1–4) | ||
| 1996 | None | St. Louis Cardinals | L (0–3) | |||||
| 1998 | None | Houston Astros | W (3–1) | Atlanta Braves | W (4–2) | New York Yankees | L (0–4) | |
| 2005 | None | St. Louis Cardinals | L (0–3) | |||||
| 2006 | None | St. Louis Cardinals | L (1–3) | |||||
| 2020 | St. Louis Cardinals | W (2–1) | Los Angeles Dodgers | L (0–3) | ||||
| 2022 | New York Mets | W (2–1) | Los Angeles Dodgers | W (3-1) | Philadelphia Phillies | L (1–4) | ||
| 2024 | Atlanta Braves | W (2–0) | Los Angeles Dodgers | L (2–3) | ||||
Team Achievements
The Padres have won two National League pennants. This means they were the best team in the National League. They won in 1984 and 1998. However, they lost the World Series both times.
Famous Players and Awards
Many great players have been part of the Padres. Some have even been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. This is a very special honor for baseball players.
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Retired Numbers
Teams retire numbers to honor their best players. No other player on that team can wear that number again. The Padres have retired six numbers. These numbers are shown at Petco Park's entrance. They are also displayed in the Ring of Honor.
- Number 6: Steve Garvey
* Garvey was the first player to have his number retired by the Padres in 1988. * He hit a famous home run in the 1984 playoffs. This helped the Padres reach their first World Series.
- Number 42: Jackie Robinson
* This number was retired by all of Major League Baseball in 1997. * It honors Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball's color barrier.
- Number 35: Randy Jones
* Jones's number was retired in 1997. * He was a two-time All-Star and the team's first Cy Young Award winner.
- Number 31: Dave Winfield
* Winfield's number was retired in 2001. * He played his first eight seasons with the Padres.
- Number 19: Tony Gwynn
* Gwynn's number was retired in 2004. * He played his entire 20-year career with the Padres. He is considered the greatest Padres player ever. * He won eight batting titles, which is a National League record.
- Number 51: Trevor Hoffman
* Hoffman's number was retired in 2011. * He was a famous closer and held the MLB record for career saves for a time.
The Padres also honor other important people. They have a "star on the wall" for broadcaster Jerry Coleman. His famous phrase was "Oh Doctor! You can hang a star on that baby!" The initials of former owner Ray Kroc are also displayed. In 2024, the initials "PS" were added for former owner Peter Seidler.
Padres Hall of Fame
The San Diego Padres have their own Hall of Fame. It honors people who have made a big impact on the team. Sixteen people have been inducted since 1999.
San Diego Padres Hall of Fame
Team Uniforms and Logos
The Padres have changed their look many times. They have used different logos, uniforms, and colors.
Original Brown and Gold (1969–1979)
The first Padres logo in 1969 showed a friar swinging a bat. This "Swinging Friar" is still the team's mascot. Brown and gold were the original team colors. The uniforms had brown letters with gold trim. Caps were all brown with a gold "SD" logo.
In 1972, the team wore all-gold uniforms. These had the city or team name in brown. They also had a brown cap with a gold front panel. This panel was shaped like a bell.
By 1978, the uniforms changed again. They had brown sleeves and gold letters. The "Swinging Friar" logo was added to the sleeve.
Brown, Gold, and Orange (1980–1984)
In 1980, orange was added to the team's colors. The uniforms had orange in the letters and stripes. The caps also had orange trim on the "SD" logo. In 1984, the initials "RAK" were added to the sleeve. This honored Ray Kroc, who owned the team.
Brown and Orange Pinstripes (1985–1990)
In 1985, the Padres changed their logo. It was a script-like "Padres" written upwards. The team colors were brown and orange. The uniforms had brown pinstripes. The home uniforms had "Padres" written on the front. The road uniforms had "SD" on the chest.
Blue and Orange (1991–2003)
In 1991, the Padres changed their colors to orange and navy blue. The home uniforms had navy blue pinstripes. The road uniforms had "San Diego" in navy blue letters. The cap was navy blue with a white "S" and orange "D".
Later, a navy blue alternate uniform was added. It had the team name in orange. The "Swinging Friar" logo was sometimes on the sleeve.
Blue and Sand (2004–2015)
When the team moved to Petco Park in 2004, the logo changed. It looked like home plate with "San Diego" and "Padres" written on it. Navy blue stayed, but a sandy beige color replaced orange. The team wore sand-colored uniforms on the road. The home uniforms had the "Padres" script in navy.
In 2011, the road uniforms changed to grey. The team also introduced new logos in 2012. One had the cap logo in a navy blue circle. Another showed Petco Park with "EST. 1969" (Established 1969).
Blue and White (2016–2019)
In 2016, the Padres used navy blue and gold colors. The home uniform had gold trim. They also added a brown and gold alternate uniform. This was often worn for Friday home games.
In 2017, the gold was removed from the home uniform. The team went back to navy blue and white. The word "Padres" returned to the home uniform. The road uniform had "San Diego" again.
Return to Brown and Gold (2020–Present)
In 2020, the Padres brought back their original brown and gold colors. The new uniforms have brown and gold on all three jerseys. The home jersey has pinstripes again. The road jersey is sand-colored with pinstripes. An all-brown cap with a gold "SD" was also released. The Padres are now the only team without grey in their road uniforms.
The return to brown and gold has been very popular. The team's merchandise sales have increased a lot.
City Connect Uniforms
In 2022, the Padres wore special "City Connect" uniforms. These were mostly white with pink, mint green, and yellow colors. They had "San Diego" written in a graffiti style. The uniform honored the connection between San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico.
Team Mascot
The Padres' official mascot is the "Swinging Friar". He is a friendly character dressed as a friar. He swings a baseball bat and rings a mission bell after wins. He is named after the Spanish Franciscans who founded San Diego.
The Swinging Friar first appeared in the 1950s. He was a real person in a friar outfit. Since the 1990s, he has been a full mascot costume.
Sometimes, people confuse the San Diego Chicken with the Padres' mascot. But the Famous Chicken is an independent character. He is not the official mascot of any San Diego team.
Team Rivalries
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Padres have a big rivalry with the Los Angeles Dodgers. These two teams are close by, so games are always exciting. San Diego fans often feel strongly about Los Angeles teams. This is because other San Diego teams have moved to Los Angeles. The Padres are now the only major sports team in San Diego. This makes the rivalry even stronger.
The Dodgers have won more games in the series. But the Padres have beaten them in the postseason. They met in the playoffs in 2020, 2022, and 2024. The Dodgers won in 2020 and 2024. The Padres won in 2022. Both teams also compete to sign star players.
Seattle Mariners (The Vedder Cup)
The Padres also have a fun rivalry with the American League's Seattle Mariners. This rivalry is called the Vedder Cup. It's named after Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder. He considers both San Diego and Seattle his hometowns.
These teams play in different leagues and are far apart. But they share a spring training facility in Arizona. They have played each other every year since 1997 (except 2017). It's seen as a friendly, humorous rivalry. Starting in 2025, the winner of the series gets a trophy designed by Eddie Vedder.
Military Appreciation
The Padres are very supportive of the military. San Diego has many military bases. In 1996, the Padres were the first team to have an annual military appreciation event.
Since 2000, the Padres have worn special camouflage jerseys. They wear them for every Sunday home game. They also wear them on holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day. These jerseys honor the military.
Marine Recruits from nearby Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego often visit games. The team plays the Marines' Hymn during the fourth inning stretch. The Padres also send game tapes to Navy ships. This is part of their big military outreach program.
Radio and Television
You can watch Padres games on TV or listen on the radio. As of May 2023, MLB's local media department produces the games. They are shown on channels like DirecTV and Cox. These broadcasts are called PADRES.TV.
Don Orsillo is the play-by-play announcer. Mark Grant is the color analyst. Bob Scanlan is the field reporter.
On the radio, Padres games are on KWFN 97.3 The Fan. Jesse Agler is the main announcer. Tony Gwynn Jr. is the color analyst. Games are also broadcast in Spanish on XEXX-AM, Radio Ranchito 1420 AM.
The Padres have also appeared in movies and TV shows. In 1979, they were in the TV film The Kid from Left Field. In 2015, they were in Ferrell Takes the Field with Will Ferrell. In 2016, the TV series Pitch showed a female pitcher playing for the Padres.
Images for kids
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Randy Jones in 1978
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LaMarr Hoyt in 1985
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The Tony Gwynn exhibit in 2007
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Jake Peavy in 2006
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Fernando Tatís Jr. wearing the brown and gold home uniform
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Retired numbers displayed atop the batter's eye at Petco Park until 2016
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Cap logo from 1969 to 1984
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See also
In Spanish: San Diego Padres para niños
