Craig Nicholas Stammen (born March 9, 1984) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Washington Nationals.
Stammen was selected by the Washington Nationals in the twelfth round of the 2005 Major League Baseball draft and was assigned to the Vermont Expos of the short-season Single-A New York–Penn League. He made seven starts and six relief appearances, accruing an ERA of 4.06 while striking out 32 batters and allowing 12 walks and 62 hits over 51 innings.
In 2006 Stammen pitched for the Savannah Sand Gnats of the low Single-A South Atlantic League and for the Potomac Nationals of the advanced Single-A Carolina League. In 143 innings he accumulated a 4.03 ERA and struck out 109 batters while allowing 36 walks and 144 hits.
On January 7, 2018, Stammen signed a two-year contract with the Padres. In 2018, he was 8–3 in a career high 73 appearances. On June 9, 2019, facing his former team the Nationals, he gave up four consecutive home runs, to Howie Kendrick, then Trea Turner, then Adam Eaton, and then Anthony Rendon.
In 2019, he led the major leagues in blown saves (9) and tied for the major league lead in holds (31). On January 17, 2020, Stammen re-signed with the Padres on a two-year, $9MM contract with a club option for the 2022 season.
In the pandemic shortened season, Stammen recorded a 4–2 record and a 5.63 ERA with 20 strikeouts and 4 walks in 24 innings pitched in the same number of games. In 2021, Stammen posted a 6–3 record with 83 strikeouts and 13 walks over 88+1⁄3 innings.
Craig has never divulged any information about his parents, he is a very private person who likes to keep his personal life away from media attention.