PHOENIX — The trade deadline acquisition that was supposed to stabilize the Padres' rotation instead unraveled in spectacular fashion Wednesday night. Casey Mize, brought in from the Detroit Tigers to address a glaring need for starting pitching, made his San Diego debut at Chase Field and lasted just 3.1 innings. The final line: 8 earned runs, 9 hits, 3 walks, and a 10-4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

For a team that had high hopes after adding both Robbie Ray and Mize before the deadline, the performance was a bitter pill. Mize entered the game with a 2.70 ERA on the season, but that number jumped to 3.40 after the Diamondbacks teed off. The right-hander looked sharp early, retiring the side in order in the first inning. But the trouble began in the third when Arizona used a sacrifice fly and a solo home run to push two runs across.

The fourth inning was a complete collapse. After getting the first out, Mize allowed five consecutive hits and issued a walk, loading the bases before manager Mike Shildt finally pulled the plug. Kyle Hart entered from the bullpen, but relief was short-lived — all three inherited runners scored, ballooning Mize's line and effectively ending any chance of a comeback.

On the other side, Diamondbacks rookie Mitch Bratt was masterful. The left-hander carved through the Padres lineup for seven innings, allowing just one hit and no runs while striking out six. It was a stark contrast to the chaos unfolding on the other mound. Bratt's performance kept the Padres offense silent until the ninth inning, when Fernando Tatis Jr. launched a 465-foot solo home run to left-center field. It was Tatis' ninth homer of the season and the 161st of his Padres career, tying him with Nate Colbert for third place on the franchise's all-time home run list.

Despite the late fireworks, the deficit was insurmountable. The Padres managed only two hits total against Bratt and the Arizona bullpen, leaving the defense and Mize's rough outing as the story of the night. Social media captured the moment: the Diamondbacks' official account posted a clip of the game with a playful reference to "The Adventures of Timmy Neutron," while Padres highlights shared Tatis' towering blast.

The loss drops the Padres to 58-52 on the season, still in the thick of the National League wild-card race but with mounting questions about their rotation depth. Mize's debut raised more red flags than it answered, though the organization remains hopeful that the 28-year-old can settle in after shaking off the rust of a midseason trade. The four-game series wraps up Thursday afternoon, with the Padres desperate for a bounce-back performance.