Casey Mize didn’t have to wait long to get thrown into the deep end with the Padres.
Two days after being dealt out of Detroit, the right-hander made his debut in San Diego and got a harsh welcome from Arizona, which jumped out to an 8-0 lead before the Padres finally got on the board in a 10-4 loss on Wednesday. Mize, who was traded on Aug. 3 along with Gage Workman for Kash Mayfield and Jackson Wolf, was one of the deadline additions the Padres hope can keep their surge rolling after a busy July.
The move also put Mize on a new path that now runs parallel to an old Tigers teammate. Tarik Skubal, once expected alongside Mize to anchor Detroit’s rotation for a 2026 run, is now with the Dodgers. His first outing in Los Angeles ended in disappointment too, even though he gave up just two runs over six innings in a 5-1 loss to the Cubs on Tuesday at Wrigley Field.
Mize described the switch from the AL Central to the NL West as a jolt, but one he’s ready to embrace. Speaking to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale in Phoenix, where the Padres were playing the Diamondbacks right after Monday’s trade deadline, he said, “We come from the AL Central, and now the NL West is kind of out of left field for us. But, you know, we'll cross paths, and I look forward to it,”
He added, “He's my best friend," he added, "so obviously, hoping the best for him, but just not when he plays the Padres.’’
The Padres cleared room on the 26-man roster by optioning left-handed pitcher JP Sears and catcher Rodolfo Durán to Triple-A El Paso after adding Mize and Workman.
Mize’s own season has taken a sharp turn for the better. The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft had an uneven run in Detroit, but in a free-agent walk year he posted a 2.70 ERA in 16 starts and averaged 5.1 innings per start before the trade.
He’s now set for another notable moment in San Diego, with his home debut lined up for Monday against the Brewers in Game 1 of a three-game series.
And there’s still one more chance this season for Mize and Skubal to cross paths directly. The Padres and Dodgers meet only once more, Sept. 22-24 in Los Angeles, and if the rotation lines up, a Mize-Skubal showdown would put two of the biggest deadline arms on the same stage - with Detroit fans watching closely.
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