Petco Park – San Diego

The San Diego Padres returned to Petco Park to play game two of a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins.

The Padres were hot in the series opener against the Twins. Right now, the Padres are 10-2 in their last two homestands and undefeated in their last 6 home games.

Casey Mize is fresh off his first win in a Padres uniform and looking to add on. Overall, Padres starting pitching has done their best to keep games close and succeeded, all things considered. All that’s left is for the offense to keep firing.

Things started rough for the right-hander. On his third pitch, Mize hung a slider that Luke Keaschall let rip for a leadoff homer. Then, in his next turn, he allowed two back-to-back solo shots, giving the Padres an early three-run deficit.

If the Padres wanted to take back the lead, they would have to get to Dean Kremer fast. His first-inning ERA is 8.10, meaning he takes some time to get settled in. However, the bats that were firing off in the previous game were a little slow to start.

The Padres responded with a solo homer from Jackson Merrill, putting the Friars on the board in the second.

That’s Action Jackson for you ? pic.twitter.com/qCh1eWZVEK

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 23, 2026

Mize exited early before he could finish the third inning. There was some early caution as he stepped on the mound. The entire time, he didn’t really seem very comfortable. Padres coaching tried to let him finish the inning, but a double from Ryan Jeffers ended his night prematurely.

Mize suffered an injury earlier this year; removing him was likely a precautionary measure. Mize’s fastball was noticeably slower today and may have been the reason for his homers.

The Padres X account revealed Mize left the game with a right ankle sprain.

Update from the Padres clubhouse: RHP Casey Mize left today’s game with a right ankle sprain.

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 23, 2026

Video revealed he got hurt while missing a step going into the Padres’ dugout in the second inning.

Here’s the moment Casey Mize suffered the ankle strain back in the 2nd inning.#padres https://t.co/wo946YEg9t pic.twitter.com/cHYEsjIwH2

— Padres Highlights (@FriarHighlights) August 23, 2026

At any rate, Kyle Hart entered to secure the final out, but not without cashing in Mize’s base runner. His next inning wouldn’t be very different, allowing another run to score, making the game 5-1.

The Padres wouldn’t awaken until the sixth inning. Jake Cronenworth with a leadoff double and Manny Machado with a walk put a runner in scoring position and sent Kremer packing.

Merrill faced Twins reliever A.J. Minter and ripped a leadoff single that sent Cronenworth home. This was all they could put up against the Twins, but it was a decent start.

They got ramping up again on their next turn. Freddy Fermin reached on catcher’s interference and got into scoring position off a single from Fernando Tatis Jr., then, for the second time in a row, Cronenworth hit a double, scoring both of them.

Got the whole place rockin’. pic.twitter.com/3M6KDSheiz

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 23, 2026

Manny Machado shot a ball directly to shortstop Kaelen Culpepper, who threw to Brooks Lee at third to force out the lead runner, but Lee missed the catch, giving Croney just enough room to score and Machado to advance to second.

In less than an inning, the Padres completely turned a losing game upside down. Ty France broke the tie with a long single down the right field line. That would be all the Padres could muster, but the team, once down by three, now led by one.

The Padres piled on one more in their last turn, Luis Campusano reaching base only to score from a Tatis Jr. single.

A magnificent pair of twin innings from Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller effectively shut the door on the Twins early. With that, the Padres win the first series of their homestand.

Despite a sour start, the Padres’ offense made do with what they had.

Probable pitchers for Sunday morning’s game are Bailey Ober (7-4, 4.62 ERA) and Walker Buehler (7-6, 4.79 ERA), for the Twins and Padres, respectively.

Fabian Garcia