A.J. Preller went to work at the deadline, and the Padres ended up with two new arms after a day that stretched all the way to the final seconds.
San Diego’s first swing came Monday when it landed Robbie Ray from the San Francisco Giants for two top-10 prospects in the Padres’ system. Then the front office waited until the deadline itself to make one more move, pulling in Detroit Tigers right-hander Casey Mize in a last-minute deal.
Jon Heyman of The New York Post first reported on X that San Diego was getting Mize. A few minutes later, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the return: Kash Mayfield and Jackson Wolf to Detroit for Mize and Gage Workman.
The timing mattered, but so did the need. The Padres had been leaning on bullpen days far too often, and the back end of the rotation had featured German Marquez, JP Sears and Griffin Canning. Ray and Mize arrive as expiring-contract additions, but they give San Diego exactly what it was missing: real starting pitching.
Mize brings solid numbers with him, too. He’s 4-6 with a 2.70 ERA in 16 starts for the Tigers this season.
The source also notes that he went 14-6 with a 3.87 ERA in 2025. Put him alongside Michael King and Ray, and the Padres suddenly have a rotation that looks a lot sturdier at the top.
There’s still more that could come. Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta could return at some point this season, and if they do, San Diego may have enough pitching to chase a Wild Card spot and make some noise once it gets there.
For a while, it looked like the Padres might be dealing away Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller. But after they won eight of nine games heading into Monday, the picture shifted. Instead of subtracting, San Diego filled two needs with veteran pitchers on expiring deals.
Mayfield is the biggest piece headed out the door for the Padres. He was ranked as the No. 2 prospect, though the source notes he’s had a mixed start in the minors. Even so, San Diego held onto Ethan Salas and Kruz Schoolcraft while landing Ray and Mize to patch a major hole.
On balance, it was a strong deadline for Preller and the Padres. They addressed the rotation without emptying the cupboard, and with the offense continuing to play well over the last few weeks, the NL Wild Card path is very much alive.
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