In this episode of Padres & Playdates, we sit down with Ashley from Smashing Designs for an honest, emotional conversation about her recent absence on social media and the reality of building a brand from the ground up.

Ashley opens up about the heart, time, and identity she poured into Smashing Designs, the moment she received a cease and desist letter from Major League Baseball, and how that changed everything overnight. We talk about what this means for her business moving forward, the grief that comes with losing something you built, and how creators and small business owners can survive moments like this.

Most importantly, we talk about how to support Ashley during this season of uncertainty and why “Long Live Smashing Designs” means so much more than a brand.

This episode is raw, vulnerable, and a reminder of how fragile and powerful small businesses really are.

If you’ve ever built something you loved, this one is for you.

We’re saying ¡Viva México! as we celebrate the Padres heading to Mexico City this April and the energy, history, and passion that Mexican fans bring to the game. We talk through planning our February spring training trip, sharing tips, tricks, and travel advice for listeners thinking about making the journey. Plus, we react to Michael King’s new 3-year deal and why locking him in is a huge win for the Padres rotation and long-term plans. All wrapped up as our holiday episode, full of Padres spirit, travel excitement, and a little international flavor to close out the year.

In this week’s episode, we talk about how we really feel about the Dodgers’ World Series win (yep… we go there) and why we are cautiously optimistic about Craig Stammen being the new Padres manager. We also dive into offseason moves - who’s opted out, who’s staying, and who might be on their way back to Petco Park. Plus, we tease the rumored new City Connect aesthetic and share our early hype (and disappointment) for the next World Baseball Classic. Grab your coffee (or your michelada), because this one’s packed with baseball talk, offseason drama, and hot takes. You don't want to miss it!

Welcome to Episode 19 of Padres & Playdates! 🔥 We sit down with Alayna from Red Hot Takes to talk all things Padres, Chargers, and sports fandom. She shares how her page Red Hot Takes came to life, what fuels her passion for San Diego teams, and her honest take on what the Padres need to finally bring home a championship. Plus… we admit the unthinkable — why we’re actually rooting for the Dodgers in the World Series 👀It’s a mix of laughs, hot takes, and real fan energy you won’t want to miss.

🎙️ Episode 18: First Pitch With Ryan Cohen!

We’re closing out the 2025 season with one of our favorite Padres personalities, Ryan Cohen! We talk about his deep Padres roots, the wild karmic path that led him to his dream career, and what it’s like hanging out with Jake Peavy. Of course, we had to relive his legendary first pitch on his 21st birthday — easily one of the funniest, most organic stories we’ve ever heard.

Join us for laughs, nostalgia, and a little off-season daydreaming as we make plans to party it up at Spring Training 2026. 🌵⚾️

This week, we’re joined by the hilarious, gracious, and totally unfiltered Hannah Nancarrow Woods for a much-needed postseason elimination therapy session. We dive into Hannah’s San Diego roots, how her Padres fandom began, and the story of how she met her husband, Steven Woods. She shares what it’s like being the ultimate snack-and-carpool mom, raising two boys with very different takes on the Padres (including one with a future debut already planned for the roster). We talk loyalty, heartbreak, hope, and everything in between—plus plenty of laughs. By the end, we’re convinced Hannah’s our new best friend.

The Padres are headed to the playoffs! In this episode, we break down the current playoff and wild card standings, recap the huge series win against the Brewers, and talk about how the team is looking as October baseball gets closer. We also share some personal highlights from the week: going to Tuesday’s game thanks to Adrian Morejón’s wife, the last-minute cancellation of our interview with Jackson Merrill’s family, meeting up with other Padres accounts, seeing Jackson’s incredible mural, and snapping a selfie with Michael King.

In this episode, we celebrate Steph’s birthday and catch you up on all the latest Padres fun! We talk about our recent appearance on Fox 5 San Diego, introduce our new producer Richard, and share plans to interview Jackson Merrill’s parents after his mural reveal next week. We also tease some exciting potential future guests, break down Merrill’s hot streak, and top it all off with a hilarious prank call — interviewing someone for the backup Swinging Friar mascot role for the 2026 season.Padres baseball, community vibes, and plenty of laughs — this episode has it all.

This week’s episode is pure chaos — NO EDITS. The Padres keep losing to teams they shouldn’t, but we’re still holding onto postseason dreams. We talk about going to the game with Ashley from Smashing Designs (and the amazing hats she hooked us up with), meeting Woods and Hannah Nancarrow, and sitting right behind 3rd base. Mason Miller’s immaculate inning was electric even if we didn’t win. Plus, we hit each other with a surprise pop quiz and share our most unpopular Padres and MLB opinions.

Episode 13: Welcome to Slam Diego, Laureano!
This week we celebrate the Padres’ big series win against the Dodgers and officially welcome Laureano to Slam Diego. We break down why he’s already proving to be the best trade in MLB and share highlights from our collab with the Talk Dodgers to Me podcast ladies. Full disclosure—we came in unprepared and a little chaotic, but that’s part of the fun. Stick with us, because we’ve got some exciting guests lined up in the weeks ahead!