Padres respond to latest injury woes with aggressive call-up
By Lior Lampert
The San Diego Padres' latest move reeks of desperation amid a slew of injuries to their starting pitching rotation.
San Diego is calling up right-handed pitching prospect Adam Mazur, per FanSided's MLB insider Robert Murray.
The San Diego Padres are calling up pitching prospect Adam Mazur, according to a source familiar with the situation. Mazur, the Padres’ No. 5 prospect, is expected to start on Tuesday.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) June 3, 2024
Padres call up RHP Adam Mazur in response to Joe Musgrove, Yu Darvish being placed on IL
As Murray points out, Mazur is the No. 5-ranked prospect in the Padres' farm system. However, the 23-year-old has struggled in his limited action for the El Paso Chihuahuas, San Diego's Triple-A affiliate team. So, the club is taking a leap of faith by promoting him to the major league roster.
Mazur went 1-2 with a 7.11 ERA and 1.316 WHIP across 19 innings pitched at Triple-A El Paso, recording 18 strikeouts. While the numbers are far from encouraging, this highlights the predicament the Padres are currently in.
If there is any silver lining, Mazur fared exceptionally well in his time with the Double-A San Antonio Missions. He posted a 3-1 record with a stellar 1.95 and 0.866 WHIP in 32.1 innings, adding 32 punchouts.
Injuries forced the Padres hand with top prospect
On Monday, the Padres placed starters Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to May 29 and 30, respectively). The former is tending to right elbow inflammation, while the latter is out with a left groin strain. So, San Diego could get an extended look at Mazur.
Padres beat writer for the San Diego Union-Tribune recently reported that Musgrove's injury is not "believed" to be season-ending. While that can generally be considered good news, it also suggests he is unlikely to return anytime soon.
Moreover, recent comments from Padres manager Mike Shildt indicate Darvish will miss at least a few weeks. Considering the 37-year-old ace is dealing with a soft tissue injury, it makes sense to take a cautious approach.
Sitting at 32-20 and currently holding the second Wild Card spot in the National League, the Padres will rely on Mazur to help them get through a difficult stretch. That is a less-than-ideal situation for an organization with postseason aspirations. But they don't have many other options at the moment.
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