Mize's Dugout Slip Leads to Early Exit

Casey Mize, the San Diego Padres' right-handed starter acquired from Detroit on Aug. 3, left Saturday night's game against the Minnesota Twins with a sprained right ankle. The injury occurred when Mize slipped going down the dugout steps between the second and third innings. As reported by multiple outlets, Mize described the incident: "It seemed like my cleat caught one of the steps, and then I tried to catch myself, and I ended up rolling my ankle on the bottom step there."

Mize was checked by a trainer and manager Craig Stammen after throwing warm-up pitches in the third and initially stayed in the game. He recorded two outs before allowing a double by Ryan Jeffers and was lifted for Kyle Hart. Mize finished with four runs allowed on four hits and one walk in 2⅔ innings, having given up three solo home runs in the first two innings.

Postgame imaging on the ankle was negative, and Mize is classified as day-to-day. On Sunday morning, Mize had a slight limp but told reporters he woke up "pretty encouraged" with how he felt, noting the ankle was "sore," "a little swollen," and "tender." Padres manager Craig Stammen said the sprain was not severe: "Yeah, day-to-day definitely. Like, I don't think it's awful; it's not a really bad sprain. But it's swollen, and it'll take some time to heal up."

Mize's fastball velocity, which had dipped to 88.4 mph on his final sinker—the slowest of his career—was a point of concern, as reported by several outlets. His fastball averaged 92.5 and 92.1 mph in the first two innings, down from 94 mph earlier, and dropped further after the injury.

Padres Rally for 7-5 Win

Despite Mize's early exit, the Padres defeated the Twins 7-5 in front of a sellout crowd of 41,484 at Petco Park. Griffin Canning threw 3⅓ shutout innings in relief, stranding runners and escaping a bases-loaded jam in the sixth. The Padres' offense chipped away, with Jackson Merrill homering in the second inning and Jake Cronenworth driving in two runs in a four-run seventh that tied and then won the game.

Mize called it a "massive team win," praising the bullpen and offense for not laying down after he put the team in an early hole. The Padres have now won 20 of their last 27 games, improving their record and holding the NL's third wild-card spot.

Musgrove's Rehab Delayed by Minor Back Injury

Joe Musgrove, recovering from Tommy John surgery that has kept him out since the end of 2024, suffered a minor setback in his rehab. The right-hander reported a back tweak that pushed back his rehab start. He threw a bullpen session at Petco Park on Saturday and is scheduled to make another minor league rehab start early next week.

Musgrove explained the issue: "I came out of it a little more sore than normal, nothing drastic, but picked up a little back injury, like a tweak in the gym that put me out for like a day or two. Just having trouble rotating, but that's all cleared up."

In his most recent rehab start with Triple-A El Paso, Musgrove struck out five but allowed five earned runs on nine hits over 4.2 innings. His fastball reached 97 mph—his hardest since 2017—a positive sign. Manager Craig Stammen emphasized caution: "His main number one thing is getting back to being who we know Joe Musgrove is. And then we'll decide when he pitches after that." The Padres hope Musgrove can return in September, though no firm date has been set.

Pivetta's Contract Option Shifts After Long IL Stint

Saturday marked the 131st consecutive day on the injured list for Nick Pivetta, who has been out with a flexor strain in his right elbow since April 12. This triggered a clause in his contract, converting a $14 million player option for 2027 into a team option. Pivetta had been owed $32 million across the next two seasons.

Pivetta's rehab has seen recent progress, including throwing two innings in a bridge league game in Arizona on Thursday. He played catch Saturday and is expected to throw another bullpen this week. Manager Craig Stammen hinted that Pivetta might not return as a starter, saying, "Based on his last outing, I think he's going to get on a five-day schedule and try to ramp up to be a starting pitcher, and we'll see." Pivetta is expected to return mid-September if no further setbacks occur.

Rotation Depth and Playoff Push

The Padres' trade-deadline additions of Mize and Robbie Ray have bolstered the rotation. Mize had a 2.70 ERA in 16 starts with the Tigers but has a 7.00 ERA in four starts with San Diego. His next scheduled start would likely have been against the Rays, but his status is uncertain.

If Mize misses time, options include Griffin Canning, who has a 6.50 ERA in 21 appearances, and others. The Padres are also managing the calendar—they have an off day Thursday and do not need a fifth starter until Sept. 1 in Cincinnati, when rosters expand.

As the Padres maintain their wild-card position, the returns of Musgrove and Pivetta could provide additional depth. For now, the team is taking a cautious approach with all its pitchers, balancing playoff ambitions with long-term health.