Casey Mize makes Padres debut against fellow wild-card contender D-backs

Casey Mize will make this first start for San Diego on Wednesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix, and Padres general manager A.J. Preller has set the bar high.

"He was somebody that we had targeted," Preller said after the Padres acquired rotation boosters Mize and Robbie Ray at the trade deadline Monday.

"Somebody that could pitch a playoff game and impact a playoff game. He did that last year in the playoffs with Detroit, and we're excited to see him do that for the Padres this year."

Right-hander Mize (4-6, 2.70 ERA) made 16 starts for the Tigers this season before they went into sell mode by jettisoning star left-hander Tarik Skubal. Mize soon followed.

Mize is on pace for career-best numbers despite missing time with a nagging groin injury early in the season. He has a 0.99 WHIP with 85 strikeouts and 19 walks in 86 2/3 innings.

He is to oppose Arizona rookie left-hander Mitch Bratt (0-1, 5.23), who will make his sixth start after joining the rotation when righty Ryne Nelson was placed on the injured list with an elbow strain in mid-June.

"Obviously, (Mize) was the first pick in the country (by Detroit in 2018), and that's a good place to start," Preller said. "He's been a very accomplished pitcher. The last few years really coming into his own as one of the better starters in the league.

"It's strikes, a fastball/split/slider combo. He's got the out pitch, split-finger fastball that he can use to get righties and lefties out. He's a guy we've been scouting here for years."

The Padres roughed up Diamondbacks All-Star Eduardo Rodriguez in a 9-4 victory in the second contest of the four-game series Tuesday, evening the series and tightening the National League wild-card race.

The Padres (59-55) moved one game behind the Diamondbacks (60-54) for the third and final wild-card spot. Philadelphia (61-53) took sole possession of second, four games behind the Chicago Cubs (65-49), who beat new Los Angeles Dodger Skubal on Tuesday.

"The flow of the game was awkward for the first six innings," said Arizona manager Torey Lovullo, whose team had two hits off Padres starter Randy Vasquez over six innings. "We were kind of flat-lined there."

Nolan Arenado and torrid James McCann hit two-run homers in the seventh to close the deficit to 8-4. McCann has a nine-game hitting streak since returning from the injured list July 7. The catcher has at least one RBI in eight straight games, tying Luis Gonzalez and Paul Goldschmidt for the team record. McCann has four homers and 15 RBIs during his streak.

Left-hander Ray is scheduled to make his initial Padres' appearance Friday, in the opener of a three-game home series against the Houston Astros. Right-hander Walker Buehler will remain in his normal spot in the rotation for the final game of the four-game series in Arizona on Thursday.

Mize has not pitched since July 25, when he gave up three hits and one run in six innings of a no-decision against Kansas City in a 3-2 home loss for the Tigers. He was scratched from a scheduled July 31 start with the trade deadline looming.

Mize has had limited exposure to the Diamondbacks, with no decisions and a 2.35 ERA in two career starts covering 7 2/3 innings. Max Kepler is 2-for-11 against him.

Bratt enters after his most efficient start last Friday, when he gave up one run on three hits in five innings of a no-decision in a 4-1 win over host Cleveland. He has given up four homers and 15 walks in 20 2/3 innings. Bratt has not faced the Padres in his first season.

Outfielder Lars Nootbaar, the Diamondbacks' lone acquisition at the trade deadline, was 0-for-2 with two walks as a designated hitter in his debut Tuesday. The former St. Louis Cardinal was acquired to add a left-hand presence to the lineup.

"He's going to play against righties, either DH or play left field until he gets his footing," Lovullo said. "I know he played center field. There's an option there at some point. I want him to get comfortable and just get into Dave McKay's program."

McKay, a former major league infielder, is the Diamondbacks' outfield coach and first base coach.

--Field Level Media