Confirmed deal: The San Diego Padres have formally announced the addition of another outstanding Houston Astros ace to replace the departing player, and they are extremely close to signing the Pirates’ top target.

Padres calling up Adam Mazur for MLB debut

With Yu Darvish going on the IL (groin/hamstring), Padres fans were left wondering who was going to be taking that spot on Tuesday against the Angels and we now have an answer. Adam Mazur, San Diego’s fifth ranked prospect according to MLB.com, is getting the call to make his big league debut in game two of the series.

Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune hinted at it over the weekend and Robert Murray of FanSided tweeted it this morning.

Mazur was drafted out of Iowa and has since made 28 starts (34 appearances), posting a 3.18 ERA and 1.133 WHIP. He had a sub-1 WHIP in Double-A San Antonio before moving up to hitter-friendly Triple-A El Paso.

Tuesday in Anaheim should be a good landing spot for him to make his debut. He doesn’t have to go face the Dodgers or the Yankees right off the bat and Jhony Brito/Adrian Morejon should be available to go multiple innings in case Mazur can only go four or so innings.

Below is what MLB.com has to say about the 23-year-old:

“Mazur went from a decent starter at South Dakota State to the 2022 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year for Iowa, and that momentum carried into that year’s Draft, where he went to the Padres in the second round and signed for below slot at $1.25 million. The right-hander held up well in his first full season of pro ball, leading San Diego Minor Leaguers (min. 90 innings) in walk rate (4.3 percent) and FIP (2.91), while posting a 2.81 ERA over 96 innings between High-A and Double-A.

Standing at a wiry 6-foot-2, Mazur touched 97 mph with his fastball at the higher level, proving he could throw gas as the season wore on, and was generally closer to the 92-95 range. His control of the pitch was stellar out of a fairly high slot, and because he could get ahead of so many batters, he could work in his solid secondaries. A mid-80s slider remains the star with tight, late break, allowing for a healthy amount of chase. Padres officials expressed their happiness with how Mazur’s mid-80s changeup stepped forward, giving him an armside option, while his 78-81 mph curveball splits the plate with decent vertical break.

Mazur’s athletic delivery helps repeatedly pump strikes into the zone, and there’s no reason why that shouldn’t continue as he ascends toward San Diego. A lack of more than two above-average pitches dilutes his ceiling some, but so long as he can get through a lineup twice, he should still fit the modern mold of a starting pitcher.”