SAN DIEGO -- Nobody inside Petco Park on Friday night expected the Diamondbacks to go quietly.
While the Padres entered the evening riding high after clinching their third consecutive postseason berth a night earlier, both teams took the field with a purpose: San Diego looking to lock down home-field advantage for the Wild Card Series, and Arizona fighting tooth and nail to keep its season alive.
The Diamondbacks, however, wasted no time swinging for the fences -- literally.
Lars Nootbaar turned on right-hander Casey Mize’s opening delivery -- a 90.8 mph sinker -- and drove it deep into right-center field for a leadoff home run, setting off an attack that saw Arizona jump out early and handing San Diego an 11-4 defeat.
Mize struggled early -- after Nootbaar’s leadoff blast, Geraldo Perdomo drove in a second run with an RBI triple, and Corbin Carroll added a sacrifice fly before the first inning ended. The trouble persisted for Mize in the second when Jordan Lawlar hit a solo home run, and again in the third when Nolan Arenado sent a two-run shot over the left-field wall.
By the time Mize’s night ended after four innings, he had surrendered seven earned runs on seven hits including three home runs -- with two walks and just a single strikeout across 71 pitches.
The outing underscored growing concerns surrounding the former No. 1 overall pick, whom San Diego acquired at the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline after he posted a 2.70 ERA in 16 starts for the Tigers. Prior to the game, manager Craig Stammen expressed confidence in Mize's overall body of work. However, postgame, Stammen was direct about where the game slipped away.
"[We] faced a good pitcher tonight and he outpitched our starting pitcher. [That] is the story of the game." Stammen said.
“He's not at his best right now and players go through these types of ruts in their career and it just happens to be at the end of this season after we traded for him,” Stammen said. “So we're going to have some conversations with him and see where we can make some improvements and try to get it right. But he's a much better pitcher than that. He showed that through his entire career. ... Hopefully we can get him going and be the best version of himself.”
For Mize, the root of the issue is physical -- specifically stemming from a right ankle sprain he suffered on Aug. 22 when he slipped walking down dugout steps against Minnesota.
"I think it's time to have some honest conversations about some of the physical limitations that I'm currently having," Mize admitted. “Conversations have been had about the postseason and our pitching staff and we have to win games. It's just so frustrating to deal with the ankle injury. It's just not allowing me to move my lower half like I want. I've tried to avoid saying that and leaning on that. But you guys watch the games. Unfortunately, it's too obvious.
"We have so much good things going on this team, and for me to be going the opposite direction is tough. I feel like I'm just grinding through and trying to do what I can, but obviously it's nowhere close to good enough."
The loss came at a time when the surrounding postseason picture had aligned in San Diego’s favor. Everything the Padres needed to secure the National League’s top Wild Card spot fell into place before first pitch: the Phillies dropped a 2-0 decision to Tampa Bay and the Cubs were swept in a doubleheader against Boston. A victory on Friday would have officially clinched the No. 4 seed, ensuring that October baseball would open in front of a home crowd at Petco Park.
Despite the lopsided score, Stammen emphasized that Friday's outcome won't alter San Diego's approach over the final two games.
"[Losing this game] doesn't really complicate anything, we [just] got to go out and win a baseball game,” Stammen said. “Getting blown out, we were able to get some of those guys off their feet a little bit. So a version of our best lineup will be in the game tomorrow."
As for that "job's not finished" mentality -- it grows sharper. The task now turns to Walker Buehler, who takes the mound Saturday looking to set the tone and deliver the win San Diego needs.