Mason Miller: Padres' crowded rotation brings new challenge
Closer Mason Miller says the San Diego Padres' upgraded starting rotation is finally sustainable, with six-inning outings now the expectation after deadline additions Casey Mize and Robbie Ray. That surplus of arms, though, leaves manager Craig Stammen with hard choices down the stretch and into October.
Key Takeaways
- Mason Miller says six innings from starters, then a short bullpen bridge, is now the Padres' sustainable model.
- Michael King is locked atop the rotation; Mize, Ray, Walker Buehler and Randy Vasquez fill out a crowded mix.
- Joe Musgrove is nearly back from rehab, while Nick Pivetta's return remains uncertain after a stalled stint.
- San Diego holds the final NL Wild Card spot as Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill fuel a second-half surge.
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Why does Mason Miller say the Padres rotation is sustainable now?
After months of bullpen games and short starts, Miller framed the shift in plain terms. Six innings from a starter, then three high-leverage relievers, gives the staff flexibility to be at its best when games matter most.
"It's sustainable," Miller said of the current makeup, per the San Diego Union-Tribune. He noted that Robbie Ray, Casey Mize, Michael King and Walker Buehler have made six innings the new expectation.
That matters because San Diego's earlier approach was never meant to last. Pitching coach Ruben Niebla called the pre-deadline stew of openers and short stints unsustainable, even though it briefly kept the club afloat.
Who is fighting for spots in the Padres starting five?
According to MLB.com, King is the easy call: he leads the group in innings (149), ERA (3.38) and WHIP (1.17).
Mize and Ray, acquired Aug. 3, have settled in after uneven debuts. Over a recent stretch they combined to allow three runs in 18 innings across three quality starts. Since June 16, Ray owns a 1.62 ERA (fifth in MLB among pitchers with at least 10 starts). Buehler has a 3.16 ERA in six starts since the break, while Vasquez has posted a 3.00 ERA and 1.00 WHIP over his past 22 innings.
First-year manager Craig Stammen no longer scrapes for enough starters to reach his bullpen. He is about to have more than five options to juggle — and still must pick three for a potential Wild Card Series.
How could Musgrove and Pivetta complicate October plans?
Musgrove stretched to 70 pitches in his latest Triple-A outing and could return within a week after Tommy John surgery and a long rehab. Officials want him ready for a five-man rotation, not a lesser version of himself.
Pivetta, San Diego's late-2025 ace with a 2.87 ERA, has been out since April with elbow inflammation. His rehab stalled after just 14 pitches, leaving another wild card if he gets healthy.
A wealth of options is not automatically the best option. The King-Buehler-Vasquez-Mize-Ray group owns a 3.75 ERA, still behind the bullpen's 3.58 clip — so Stammen can ride the hot hand or lean on relievers when needed.
Does the offense finally match the pitching upgrade?
Friars on Base notes Tatis has 12 home runs since the All-Star break (tied for the MLB lead) and Merrill has 11. The Padres are an MLB-best 21-7 over the past month and hold sole possession of the final NL Wild Card spot, with a one-game cushion over Arizona per MLB.com.
Better length from starters plus a hotter lineup is exactly what Miller's end of the bullpen needs: more leads to protect in September and, if San Diego holds on, October.