PHOENIX — Casey Mize was offered plenty of excuses for the worst outing of his career Wednesday night in his San Diego Padres debut.
There was the disruption of his life after being traded from Detroit to San Diego.
There were the goodbyes from his old Tigers teammates and introductions to new Padres teammates.
There was making his first National League start at Chase Field in Arizona with the high altitude and dry air.
Mize heard all of the alibis, and batted away every single one of them.
“Pretty tough time to have the worst start of my career, you know?” Mize said after the Padres’ 10-4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. “Kind of put us in a really tough spot and (without) a chance to win.”
Everything was going OK the first couple of innings, but the Diamondbacks scored two runs in the third inning, including a Tim Tawa home run, and in the fourth, everything unraveled. Mize gave up five consecutive hits, a walk, and departed with the bases loaded. When the inning mercifully ended, the Diamondbacks had scored six more runs.
“Obviously, throughout the outing, I could definitely tell that I was just off, not being able to execute,” Mize said. “I knew it was going to be a bit of a grind, and then it obviously snowballed on me there.”
It was the most runs Mize has ever permitted in 103 career starts.
“So frustrated by that,” Mize said. “It seems like I just couldn’t execute a plan, falling behind in the counts, things were kind of elevated, and even when I got some good counts, I just couldn’t get below the zone, so they got a barrel on the ball.
“I was looking for that swing and miss.”
Mize got only two of them the entire night, throwing 77 pitches, just 47 for strikes.
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Blockbuster trades and late surprises on MLB trade deadline day
It’s trade deadline day in Major League Baseball, with some big names expected to be dealt in the hours, minutes and seconds leading up to the 6 p.m. ET deadline.
The Los Angeles Dodgers‘ trade for back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal further solidified the World Series champions as the favorites to win it all once again.
“I don’t think I’ve felt this good after getting swept,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after Sunday’s loss to the Boston Red Sox – who rode a wild winning streak into contention and should be involved in a deal or two ahead of the deadline.
Keep it here for the latest rumors and updates as the clock winds down: Pirates set for Luke Weaver trade with Mets Pushing for their first postseason appearance in 11 years, the Pittsburgh Pirates are bolstering their bullpen with a trade for Luke Weaver. Weaver has a 1.84 ERA this season for the New York Mets, in the first year of a two-year, $22 million deal.
(Brad Penner, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
1 / 12
Blockbuster trades and late surprises on MLB trade deadline day
It’s trade deadline day in Major League Baseball, with some big names expected to be dealt in the hours, minutes and seconds leading up to the 6 p.m. ET deadline.
The Los Angeles Dodgers‘ trade for back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal further solidified the World Series champions as the favorites to win it all once again.
“I don’t think I’ve felt this good after getting swept,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after Sunday’s loss to the Boston Red Sox – who rode a wild winning streak into contention and should be involved in a deal or two ahead of the deadline.
Keep it here for the latest rumors and updates as the clock winds down: Pirates set for Luke Weaver trade with Mets Pushing for their first postseason appearance in 11 years, the Pittsburgh Pirates are bolstering their bullpen with a trade for Luke Weaver. Weaver has a 1.84 ERA this season for the New York Mets, in the first year of a two-year, $22 million deal.
(Brad Penner, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Blockbuster trades and late surprises on MLB trade deadline day
Red Sox trade for Adley Rutschman In a stunning deal that marks the end of a failed rebuild in Baltimore, the Orioles are trading catcher Adley Rutschman to the Boston Red Sox Monday, Aug. 3, a rare intra-division deal for a three-time All-Star, ESPN first reported. Rutschman, 28, was the first overall pick in 2019, chosen over prep shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. as the OriolesÕ reward for a 115-loss season that prompted the hiring of now club president Mike Elias. Through two more 100-loss seasons, Elias continued collecting elite draftees and building what appeared to be a sustainable and potentially imposing youth movement.
(Dan Hamilton, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Blockbuster trades and late surprises on MLB trade deadline day
Robbie Ray to Padres The Giants are trading a former Cy Young winner within the NL West, sending Robbie Ray to the San Diego Padres in exchange for prospects Joniel Hernandez and Miguel Mendez.
(Denis Poroy, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Blockbuster trades and late surprises on MLB trade deadline day
Braves get Brent Suter
Atlanta landed left-handed pitcher Brent Suter in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels, sending infielder Nacho Alvarez Jr. to Southern California, the teams announced Monday morning.
(Kiyoshi Mio, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Blockbuster trades and late surprises on MLB trade deadline day
Mets send Brooks Raley to Phillies Brooks Raley has been traded from the Mets to the rival Phillies. The Mets are receiving outfielder John Spikerman and right-handed pitcher Luke Gabrysh in the deal. The move comes after the Mets also offloaded left-hander A.J. Minter to the Twins last Friday. Raley and Minter were the two likeliest trade candidates out of the Mets’ bullpen given their expiring deals. The Mets also traded Freddy Peralta to the Rays on Sunday and right-handed reliever Huascar Brazoban to the White Sox early Monday morning.
(David Frerker, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Blockbuster trades and late surprises on MLB trade deadline day
Luis Arraez to the Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are trading for three-time batting champion Luis Arraez and right-reliever Kaleb Kilian of the San Francisco Giants, a person with direct knowledge of the trade told USA TODAY Sports. The Giants will receive starter Ramon Marquez, the PhilliesÕ No. 4 prospect and reliever Marty Gair. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity since the trade has yet to be announced until physicals are complete. Arraez, a three-time All-Star, is hitting .324 this season with four homers, 47 RBIs and an .801 OPS. And although heÕs left-handed, he still rakes against lefties, hitting .315 with a .341 on-base percentage and .782 OPS. HeÕs exactly the type of hitter the Phillies are looking for, someone who is dramatically different than the rest of the slugging lineup they have in place. He has struck out just 21 times all season.
(Kelley L Cox, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Blockbuster trades and late surprises on MLB trade deadline day
Blue Jays acquire Jose Soriano Just one day after trading away staff ace Kevin Gausman, the Toronto Blue Jays have added a starting pitcher to take his place in the rotation. The Jays have acquired right-hander Jose Soriano from the Los Angeles Angels, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports. In exchange, the Angels receive shortstop prospect Arjun Nimmala, outfielder Eddie Micheletti and right-hander Angel Rivero. Nimmala is the Jays’ No. 2 overall prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, behind fellow shortstop JoJo Parker. The other two prospects aren’t among the Jays’ top 30.
(Bruce Kluckhohn, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Blockbuster trades and late surprises on MLB trade deadline day
Freddy Peralta experiment ends for Mets It took David Stearns seven months to turn the No. 3 prospect in baseball into three players who don’t crack anybody’s top 100. In January, the Mets sent Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat to Milwaukee for Peralta and Tobias Myers. Williams was supposed to be part of the next contending Mets team. Instead, he’s a Brewer, Peralta is a Ray and New York is last in the National League East. Stearns opened these talks asking for a top-100 prospect and more. He got none. He gave away any leverage he had by scratching Peralta on Friday, signaling he was about to hold a fire sale.
(Jeff Hanisch, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Blockbuster trades and late surprises on MLB trade deadline day
White Sox land Luis Castillo The Chicago White Sox didn’t have to prove they were legitimate playoff contenders, but they affirmed as much on Saturday when they acquired right-handed pitcher Luis Castillo from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for reliever Seranthony Dominguez, former outfield prospect Nolan Jones and catching prospect Boston Smith. Castillo, 33, was expendable in Seattle thanks to the Mariners’ deep rotation, a gaggle of majors-ready prospects and the $24.1 million salary he’s due in 2027. He also hasn’t performed particularly well this season, posting a 5.06 ERA in 20 appearances (17 starts) this season. Yet Castillo is a three-time former All-Star who finished fifth in 2023 AL Cy Young award voting and as recently as last season pitched 180 innings. He’ll add length to a White Sox rotation that thins out after No. 1 starter Sean Burke and No. 2 Davis Martin.
(Stephen Brashear, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Blockbuster trades and late surprises on MLB trade deadline day
Cubs get Kevin Gausman Kevin Gausman, 35, is 5-10 with a 4.38 ERA in 23 starts this season but has been one of the most consistent starters in baseball for the past half-decade, posting a 3.36 ERA from 2020-2025. A two-time All-Star, Gausman finished third in AL Cy Young voting in 2023. Toronto is receiving minor league outfielder Brett Bateman and infielder Ty Southisene in the trade. Gausman was stellar in the Blue Jays’ 2025 postseason run, ultimately losing in Game 7 of the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gausman started five games and also got the win in relief in Game 7 of the ALCS.
(Kevin Sousa, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Blockbuster trades and late surprises on MLB trade deadline day
Skubal trade had nothing to do with money Tarik Skubal is a Dodger, and perhaps more significantly the avatar for All That Is Wrong With Baseball, he and his new team the whipping boys for a looming lockout whether or not L.A. wins a seemingly inevitable third consecutive World Series title. The Dodgers are kicking everyoneÕs behinds in every facet of the game: Drafting, player development, scouting (which includes assessing internal talent) and providing a workplace where players want to be.
(Luke Hales, Getty Images)
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Blockbuster trades and late surprises on MLB trade deadline day
Mets’ fire sale continues While it’s not the magnitude of the Freddy Peralta trade, the New York Mets have dealt another pitcher. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported overnight that they’ve send hard-throwing reliever Huascar Brazoban to the Chicago White Sox for minor-league pitchers Gabe Davis and Zach Franklin.
(David Frerker, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
It’s hardly what the Padres envisioned when they acquired Mize just before the expiration of the trade deadline Monday, to help rescue them in this wild-card race. This is a guy who yielded a 2.70 ERA with 85 strikeouts and 18 walks in 16 starts, yielding one or no runs in nine of the starts. He had the fifth-lowest ERA among all American League pitchers who made at least 15 starts, with the fourth-lowest opponent’s OPS (.569).
He looked nothing like that guy this night.
“Probably the 11 days off from pitching, being out of his routine, traveling, all that kind of stuff,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said. “A lot going on. New team. … And Arizona’s not the easiest place to pitch, either.”
Sorry, but Mize didn’t want to hear it.
He took full accountability.
“I’m not going to make any excuses, man,” said Mize, who threw just two bullpen sessions in the last 11 days. “I need to pitch better. We need to win. Pretty frustrating for me.”
The Padres (59-56), who also picked up San Francisco Giants starter Robbie Ray at the trade deadline, now trail the Diamondbacks by two games in the wild-card race, but insist they’re not worried. Stammen says they have battled back all year, so there’s no reason to believe they won’t continue to be resilient.
There are still 47 games remaining, and Mize and Ray are expected to make at least 16 starts.
“I know once he gets back into his five-day routine,” Stammen said, “he’ll be back to normal and the guy that we traded for. I know the next time will be better.”
Mize knows it, too.
And, just in case he needed a little confidence boost, it just so happens that his best friend in baseball landed in Phoenix on Wednesday night, and they made plans to get together at his Scottsdale home for lunch.
Two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, who was traded two days before Mize, landed with his Dodgers teammates Wednesday night from Chicago. They’ll have an off-day Thursday before their three-game weekend series against the Diamondbacks.
“It’s going to be so nice to see him again,” Mize said, “just to catch up. Really, I can’t wait.”
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What’s next for Padres’ Casey Mize after worst start of his career? Lunch with Tarik Skubal
