Padres Place All-Star Pitcher on Injured List Days Before Postseason

The San Diego Padres made a roster move ahead of Saturday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Right-handed pitcher Casey Mize, who has struggled mightily since being acquired from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline, has been placed on the 15-day injured list with an ankle injury. That will effectively end his season in a disappointing turn of events for the former All-Star pitcher.

Here’s the full roster move:

We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/0nwp7p7hb0
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 26, 2026

Padres Place Casey Mize on Injured List

Mize had one final opportunity to right the ship on Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Unfortunately, he did the opposite.

Mize lasted just four innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits and three home runs. With the Padres able to clinch the top wild-card spot and a home postseason series, he put up yet another dud.

After the game, Mize hinted at a potential IL move due to his lingering injuries.

"I think it's time to have some honest conversations about some of the physical limitations that I'm currently having," Mize said. “Conversations have been had about the postseason and our pitching staff and we have to win games. It's just so frustrating to deal with the ankle injury. It's just not allowing me to move my lower half like I want. I've tried to avoid saying that and leaning on that. But you guys watch the games. Unfortunately, it's too obvious."

Mize has made 10 starts since the trade deadline, going 2-4 with a 7.46 ERA and just 25 strikeouts to 19 walks. While he ate valuable innings for the Padres down the stretch, he never looked like the pitcher who had a 2.70 ERA in 16 starts with the Tigers this season.

“He's not at his best right now and players go through these types of ruts in their career and it just happens to be at the end of this season after we traded for him,” manager Craig Stammen said after Friday's game. “So we're going to have some conversations with him and see where we can make some improvements and try to get it right. But he's a much better pitcher than that. He showed that through his entire career. ... Hopefully we can get him going and be the best version of himself.”

With the way Mize was pitching, he was unlikely to factor into the team's postseason plans anyway. Now, that's been confirmed, with him going on the shelf on the penultimate day of the regular season.

"We have so much good things going on this team, and for me to be going the opposite direction is tough," Mize said. "I feel like I'm just grinding through and trying to do what I can, but obviously it's nowhere close to good enough."

What is the Padres' Postseason Starting Rotation?

The Padres will be going with Michael King in Game 1 of the wild-card series on Tuesday. Then, Game 2 will almost certainly be Nick Pivetta, lining up Walker Buehler to pitch Game 3 (or Game 1 of the National League Division Series if San Diego advances after two games).

Robbie Ray, who was also acquired before the trade deadline, will likely be the No. 4 starter if the Padres advance to the NLDS.

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