Padres Acquire Casey Mize, More in Blockbuster Trade Deadline Buzzer Beater

The San Diego Padres have made another starting pitching addition just ahead of Major League Baseball's 3 p.m. PT trade deadline.

In the final moments before the deadline's expiration, the Padres have acquired right-hander Casey Mize from the Detroit Tigers. Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller made it a point to add more pitching help at the deadline, and he's made it happen.

Casey Mize to Padres
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) August 3, 2026

According to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Padres also acquired infielder Gage Workman in the deal.

What Did the Padres Give Up for Casey Mize?

The Padres traded top prospects Kash Mayfield and Jackson Wolf for Mize and Workman. Mayfield was the Padres' No. 2 prospect in the system.

San Diego was very high on the upside of Mayfield, but having the chance to bolster the rotation with Mize was too much to pass on. Mayfield had a 3.54 ERA in 15 starts at High-A this season.

Padres get Casey Mize and
Gage Workman from Tigers for
Kash Mayfield and Jackson Wolf.
— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) August 3, 2026

As for Wolf, he was a fourth-round pick by the Padres in 2021 and made his MLB debut in 2023, allowing three runs over five innings. He hasn't pitched at the big league level since.

Across 24 appearances (17 starts) at Triple-A this season, he has a 7.05 ERA and 90 strikeouts over 89.1 innings.

Who is Casey Mize?

Mize now joins left-hander Robbie Ray as the big deadline acquisitions for the Padres. The righty has done very well for the Tigers this year, posting a 2.70 ERA over 16 starts.

The 2025 All-Star joins the Padres in the midst of a playoff hunt, giving this team some much-needed depth. Mize has electric stuff on the mound, with him recording a 2.91 ERA over four starts in July.

Like Ray, Mize will be a free agent at the end of the season. But if the pairing were to work out, the Padres could try to retain him on an extension.

Preller has been known for his aggressive moves in the past, and this deadline seems to be no different. The big weakness for the Padres was pitching depth, and now the organization has added two starters who can go deep into games.

Who is Gage Workman?

As for Workman, the journeyman infielder has appeared in 28 games at the big league level over the last two years, hitting .167 with two home runs, seven RBIs and an OPS of .534. He's bounced around with the Tigers, Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox over the last two years.

Padres' Post Trade Deadline Outlook

The Padres have gone 8-1 over their last nine games, putting themselves right back into the mix for a potential playoff spot. San Diego sits just one game back of the final wild-card spot, and the additions made today should only help the cause.

With Ray and Mize joining the Padres, the starting rotation could become a strength of the team. San Diego is expected to get both Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta back in the coming weeks, barring any setbacks, giving this unit a ton of depth.

The 2026 season hasn't always been pretty for the Padres, but this group looks determined to change the narrative of the year. And with the trade deadline now over, it's go time for the Padres to finish the season on a high note.

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