Padres' Rotation in Flux, With Dylan Cease a Focal Point

Maren Angus-Coombs | Sep 11, 2024

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Padres will have Michael King take the mound Wednesday in Seattle, looking for a sweep of their two-game series against the Mariners. The Padres are still trying to figure out who will follow Dylan Cease in their rotation as the regular season winds down, hopefully followed by a long playoff run.

Darvish is on his regular schedule, while King is being moved up to pitch on four days' rest.

Dylan Cease earned at least 8 strikeouts in four straight games from 7/7 through 7/25.

He hasn't done that once in his last seven games since.

Cease has averaged 5 Ks per start in this span.

— Nick Pollack (@PitcherList) September 8, 2024

With off days on Monday, the next two Thursdays, and the following Monday (Sept. 23), the Padres have the flexibility to adjust their rotation in the season's final three weeks. This could allow for extra rest for certain pitchers or positioning someone to pitch on both Sept. 24 (against the Dodgers) and Sept. 29 (against the Diamondbacks) during the last week.

Darvish returned to the Padres in their 6-5 win over the Tigers on Wednesday, though he only pitched 2.2 innings, giving up three runs on four hits. Despite the rough start, the team rallied from a five-run deficit and secured the victory in the 10th inning with Fernando Tatis Jr.'s walk-off single.

It was his first start since late May. He initially landed on the injured list and then was transferred to the restricted list in early June while he tended to a private family matter.

Being back in front of Padres fans at Petco Park supplied extra adrenaine for Darvish.

“These are the best fans," Darvish said through interpreter Shingo Horie. “Just to be able to put on a Padres uniform and go out there, pitch on that mound, that's a blessing in itself. I can say, it's just great being a Padre.”

Darvish shared that he had faced local college hitters a few times before being reinstated, even throwing two simulated innings. After rejoining the team, he pitched three simulated innings at Petco Park and then threw four more at the team’s spring training complex on Friday.

His return was a pleasant surprise considering his arm was built up.

Yu Darvish vs Seattle (since joining San Diego)

2-0 (3 GS)
0.43 ERA
0.81 WHIP
16 K in 21 IP pic.twitter.com/M5o1KRBdHg

— Al Scott (@AlScott1998) September 10, 2024

“Stuff was great,” said Padres manager Mike Shildt after Wednesday's game. “He was 95 [mph] coming out easy, secondary pitches looked like they were there. As you can expect, first time back in a big league game, there can be a little bit of just-missing.

“I thought the ball came out well. He said he felt good, arm felt good, body felt good. He just knocked a little bit of the proverbial rust off.”

Darvish figures to be the Padres' No. 3 starter, behind Cease and Musgrove, but the rest of the rotation is to be determined.