The Padres have placed right-hander Casey Mize on the 15-day injured list, according to a team announcement. Mize is dealing with a right ankle sprain. Infielder/outfielder Gavin Sheets was reinstated from the 10-day IL in Mize’s place. The team also recalled right-hander Griffin Canning from the Arizona Complex League and optioned lefty Kyle Hart to that level. Separately, righty Alek Jacob has cleared outright waivers and been assigned outright to the Complex League. Jacob was designated for assignment earlier this week and already taken off the roster, so these moves are 40-man neutral.

Mize started yesterday’s contest against the Diamondbacks. He lasted four innings and got shelled for seven earned runs on as many hits, including three home runs. Mize has struggled since a start on August 22nd, when he sprained his right ankle slipping on the dugout steps and got pulled after 2 2/3 innings. In six starts since then, he has allowed nearly eight earned runs per nine and coughed up eight home runs, or 2.70 HR/9. As noted by Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune, Mize talked about his ankle during yesterday’s postgame, suggesting that it was still bothering him a month after the fact.

The Padres seem to agree, as they’ll now be without Mize until Game 1 of the NL Championship Series, should they make it that far. San Diego has clinched a playoff spot and enters play today as the top Wild Card seed in the Senior Circuit. They can lock that in with a win over the Diamondbacks tonight, which will also give them home field advantage in the Wild Card Series. Michael King and Nick Pivetta will be their top starters in that three-game set, with Walker Buehler and Robbie Ray competing for the third spot.

Ray hasn’t been sharp in nine starts since coming over from the Giants at the deadline. Buehler has a 4.56 ERA on the season but is sitting on a 3.24 ERA in his last eight starts, six of which have gone at least five innings. He probably has the edge over Ray, so the latter will get bumped to the bullpen. Mize might have provided some length out of the ‘pen in the short series, but instead he’ll be out for just over two weeks. The news brings Mize’s regular season to an end after 131 1/3 innings with a 4.32 ERA, a 20.0% strikeout rate, and a strong 6.9% walk rate. Recent struggles aside, he’s a solid mid-rotation starter and will likely get a multi-year deal in free agency this winter.

Canning consented to being optioned three days ago when Jason Adam came off the 60-day IL. He would have had to stay down for at least 15 days had Mize not gotten injured. He has a decent 22.5% strikeout rate and a strong 46.5% ground ball rate in 29 appearances (11 starts), but he’s struggled badly in the run prevention department, posting a 5.57 ERA and a better, but still underwhelming 4.20 SIERA. Canning has been more effective as a reliever than a starter, but he’s still a long shot for the postseason bullpen since nominal starter Randy Vásquez is also a candidate for a relief role.

Hart gets optioned for a fresh arm in Canning after allowing three earned runs in an inning of relief yesterday. He had a decent 3.77 ERA and a well-above-average 50.3% ground ball rate through the end of August. September hasn’t been as kind to Hart, as he’s given up 11 earned runs in 6 2/3 frames while walking seven batters. Like Canning, Hart is probably on the outside looking in come October, but the ground ball stuff and a decent 22.0% strikeout rate could make him the next man up in the event of an injury.

Sheets returns after missing just under one month for a left foot sprain. He’s been exactly average by wRC+, batting .211/.313/.388 in 412 plate appearances. The lefty-swinging Sheets has a 114 wRC+ against right-handed pitching this year. Ty France is covering first base right now, so Sheets will likely start at DH or possibly left field against righties in the postseason.

Photo courtesy of Denis Poroy, Imagn Images