Casey Mize, one of the San Diego Padres’ big trade deadline pickups, is staring down a right ankle sprain right now, and how it happened is just brutal. This dude slipped walking down the dugout steps between the second and third innings of the Padres’ 7-5 win over the Twins on Saturday night. Can you even believe that kind of luck?
A Slip That Changes Everything for the Padres
Man, talk about a gut punch. Mize was just trying to get back to the dugout, minding his own business, and a simple slip resulted in a sprained ankle. This wasn’t some crazy play at the plate, or a fastball ricocheting off a bat. It wasn’t a dive for a ball or a collision at the basepaths. This was pure, unadulterated, soul-crushing bad luck in the most mundane way possible, just walking down steps. What makes it even tougher to swallow is that the dude actually tried to pitch through it! He went back out for the third inning, gutting out two more outs before he finally had to come out of the game. Kyle Glaser from MLB.com reported that after the game, Mize’s ankle was all swollen up, and he was noticeably limping slightly. It’s the kind of freak accident that makes you want to scream into a pillow, especially when your team just traded for the guy to make a real push. This isn’t just an ankle sprain, this is a “what could have been” moment waiting to happen if he doesn’t recover.
The Trade: Boom or Bust for A.J. Preller?
The Padres went hard at the trade deadline this year, trying to snag a postseason spot. They made moves, grabbing Robbie Ray from the Giants and Casey Mize from the Detroit Tigers, clearly hoping to boost their rotation depth and seriously contend. Ray’s been doing his thing, which is good, but Mize’s journey has been a bit bumpier for San Diego. Since coming over, Mize has a 7.00 ERA across four starts and just 18 innings pitched. Yikes, that’s not what you’re looking for from a deadline acquisition, right? He’s definitely struggled a bit in that new uniform, and you can bet the fanbase is feeling the pressure.
But here’s the kicker, and why there’s still hope: back with Detroit this season, the guy was absolutely dealing. He was rocking a stellar 2.70 ERA in 86.2 innings pitched. That’s the potential the Padres saw, that’s the All-Star right-hander they traded for. That’s why the word is they “shouldn’t panic just yet.” Still, this brutal ankle injury throws a massive, unexpected wrench into all those plans. If he can’t heal up for his next start, or if these struggles keep piling up on the mound, that “big trade” could quickly start looking like a huge mistake for general manager A.J. Preller. This complicates everything, and the season is ticking.
For now, the absolute only thing that matters is Mize getting that ankle healed from this brutally unlucky injury he sustained after slipping while walking into the dugout from the field. Every single game matters right now, especially when you’re fighting for every inch and every win. We’ll be watching to see if he can bounce back fast and show that Detroit potential in a Padres uniform. And hey, speaking of tough breaks and rough starts around the league: our own Mariners’ Cal Raleigh is on track for a bit of unwanted history, possibly hitting the fewest home runs ever after a 60+ homer season in MLB history. Man, this game can be brutal sometimes, for everyone involved, on and off the field.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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