San Diego kept its October door cracked open by beating Milwaukee 4-3 in NLDS Game 3, but the six outs Michael King supplied at the end came with a cost: the Padres now enter another elimination game with their bullpen roles unsettled.
Key takeaways
- Michael King, originally lined up to start Game 2, recorded the final six outs of Tuesday’s Game 3 win.
- Mason Miller was away on paternity leave after his wife, Jordan, went into labor Tuesday.
- The Padres expect Miller could rejoin the club for Game 4, though he may take the full three-day leave.
- Adrian Morejon’s left shoulder fatigue leaves his availability in doubt after a heavy regular-season workload.
- Walker Buehler will start Game 4, with Joe Musgrove among the possible late-inning options.
Relief picture shifts before Game 4
Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. CT and 7 p.m. PT, with FS1, FOX Deportes and FOX One carrying the broadcast. The Padres need another win to push the series back to Milwaukee for a possible Game 5 on Friday.
King is expected to get the night off after taking the ball for the final two innings in Game 3. San Diego had to call on him because both Miller and Morejon were unavailable, an emergency arrangement few would have mapped out before the game.
Miller’s situation is straightforward, even if his return date is not yet certain. Players placed on the paternity list may remain away from the club for one to three days. Pitching coach Ruben Niebla said the Padres are anticipating Miller’s return for Game 4. Should Miller use all three days, he would still be eligible to return for a Friday Game 5 in Milwaukee.
Morejon presents the more troubling question. Manager Craig Stammen described the left-hander’s issue as “stickiness” in the shoulder and made clear the club does not want to overextend him. Morejon played catch before Game 3 and also threw from the bullpen mound, but that work did not guarantee he would be ready if called upon Wednesday.
Heavy workload catches up to Morejon
Morejon was among the Padres’ most trusted setup arms throughout the regular season, posting a 2.83 ERA across 86 innings. His 76 appearances were tied for fourth among Major League relievers, while his innings total ranked third. With free agency approaching, the lefty has carried a sizable load for a club that has leaned on its bullpen as a central strength.
His most recent outing came in Game 1 on Saturday, when he took the loss after working two innings. Brewers catcher William Contreras hit the go-ahead homer in the seventh, part of a three-hit stretch against Morejon.
San Diego also used Bradgley Rodriguez, Yuki Matsui and Jason Adam in Game 3, further clouding the late-game map behind Buehler. Stammen did leave open the possibility of Musgrove working high-leverage innings. The longtime starter made his first appearance since 2024 on Sept. 29, closing the Padres’ Game 1 victory over the Cubs in the NL Wild Card Series.
If Miller returns, he and Musgrove would give Buehler meaningful support at the back end. Beyond that, the Padres may have to build Wednesday night inning by inning, just as they did when King was asked to turn a starting pitcher’s arm into a closer’s answer.
