The San Diego Padres have deferred the need for a fifth starter until after the upcoming All-Star Break, opting to reassign starting pitcher Adam Mazur back to Triple-A El Paso.
Mazur, initially called up out of necessity, made seven starts and recorded a 1-3 record with a 7.84 earned run average. With the All-Star Break approaching followed by a day off, the Padres can delay requiring a fifth starter until their game on July 27 against Baltimore.
During the period from July 29 to August 5, the Padres have three additional off-days, meaning they may only need a fifth starter twice before August 11.
The Padres optioned Adam Mazur earlier today and called up reliever Logan Gillaspie. They’ll only need a fifth starter once before the Trade Deadline. (Their rotation may or may not look different by then.)
— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) July 10, 2024
As the trade deadline looms just three days after July 27, the Padres remain hopeful for the return of Joe Musgrove and potentially Yu Darvish. Manager Mike Shildt emphasized the importance of reliability and consistency from their rotation amidst these developments.
Mazur’s most recent start against Seattle on Tuesday saw him allow five runs in 4.2 innings, marking the 16th time this season a Padres starter has given up four or more runs in the first three innings of a game. This performance underscores the challenges of relying on Mazur as a regular starter during a competitive phase of the season.
The indefinite absence of Yu Darvish, who is on the restricted list, complicates the Padres’ internal options for filling Mazur’s rotation spot. Consequently, the team is increasingly considering acquiring a starting pitcher before the trade deadline on July 30.