Padres Announce Starting Pitchers for All-Important Final Series of Season vs Diamondbacks

The San Diego Padres, fresh off clinching a spot in the 2026 postseason, are heading back home for a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Just last week, this series was shaping up to be the equivalent of a postseason series, with the winner securing the final wild-card spot and the loser going home.

Instead, the Padres went on a dominant run, and clinched a spot in the postseason on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Diamondbacks are still alive in the postseason race, but need to win two of three against the Padres while the Philadelphia Phillies lose two of three against the Tampa Bay Rays.

As for the Padres, they're playing for seeding, as they can host a wild-card series by finishing one game ahead of the Chicago Cubs.

As of now, the Padres control their own destiny. Thus, if they sweep the Diamondbacks, they'll host the wild-card series next week. If they don't, they'll need the Cubs to lose at least one game to the Boston Red Sox.

Padres vs Diamondbacks Pitching Probables

Friday, Sept. 25: RHP Casey Mize vs. RHP Brandon Pfaadt

Mize is taking the ball in the series opener looking to prove he deserves a spot on the team's postseason roster.

Through nine starts with the Padres, Mize has a 6.64 ERA with 24 strikeouts to 17 walks over 40.2 innings. Across 16 starts with the Detroit Tigers before the trade deadline, he had a 2.70 ERA with 85 strikeouts to 19 walks over 86.2 innings.

Mize has already faced the Diamondbacks twice this year. In his first start of the season, he allowed one run over six innings with nine strikeouts against Arizona. In his first start with the Padres, he allowed eight runs on nine hits over 3.1 innings against Arizona.

“I’m going to learn from every start I make, no matter the circumstances,” Mize said. “So I’ve pitched against them twice. ... I’ll look back on both of those starts. Already have. Just see what I can see. But, like I always do … I’m going to pitch to a lot of my strengths and attack some of the weaknesses that exist as well.”

Opposite Mize will be the right-handed Pfaadt, who's 7-3 with a 3.72 ERA across 128.1 innings this season. He's faced the Padres three times this year, totaling a 2.45 ERA with 14 strikeouts over 14.2 innings.

Saturday, Sept. 26: RHP Walker Buehler vs. RHP Corbin Burnes

Buehler will get his final tune-up before the postseason on Saturday, which would put him on line to start a potential Game 3 in the wild-card series on Thursday.

The right-hander has a 4.56 ERA across 31 starts (150 innings) this season. In his last nine starts (since Aug. 6), he has a 3.15 ERA over 45.2 innings.

Buehler has faced the Diamondbacks twice this year, allowing eight runs over nine innings.

Opposite Buehler will be the right-handed Corbin Burnes, who returned from Tommy John surgery at the beginning of this month and has a 7.84 ERA over 10.1 innings.

Sunday, Sept. 27: TBA vs. RHP Michael Soroka

The Padres have not yet announced a starter for Sunday's game. It won't be Michael King, who will instead start the wild-card opener on Tuesday.

As for the Diamondbacks, they're going with Soroka, who has a 3.31 ERA across 111.1 innings this season.

How to Watch Padres vs Diamondbacks September 25-27

First pitch for Friday's series opener is 6:40 p.m. PT/9:40 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on Padres.TV and in the MLB app.

First pitch for Saturday's game is 5:40 p.m. PT/8:40 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on Padres.TV and in the MLB app.

First pitch for Sunday's series finale is 12:10 p.m. PT/3:10 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on Padres.TV and in the MLB app.

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