The Arizona Diamondbacks will have little margin for error when they take on the San Diego Padres on Saturday night in Phoenix.
Arizona lost some wiggle room in its battle for a National League playoff spot by dropping a 5-3 decision in the opener of the three-game series on Friday.
The Diamondbacks (88-72) are one of three teams battling for the final two wild-card spots. But they have played two more games than the Atlanta Braves (87-71) and New York Mets (87-71), so the most games they can win is 90.
So a loss on Saturday would hurt Arizona.
Friday’s setback was difficult as the Padres took control with four first-inning runs and kept the Diamondbacks at bay.
“We had a lot of fight in us,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said afterward. “But we couldn’t close up that early deficit. I think that first inning took a little energy out of us.”
After the series-opening loss, Lovullo tabbed left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (3-4. 5.56 ERA) to start Saturday against San Diego (92-68).
Rodriguez, 31, is 1-4 with a 6.00 ERA this month. He served up three homers while allowing five runs and seven hits over 4 2/3 innings in a 6-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Monday.
Rodriguez has faced the Padres just once, in 2019 when he blanked them on five hits over seven innings as a member of the Boston Red Sox.
San Diego star Manny Machado, who began his career with the Baltimore Orioles, is just 6-for-37 against Rodriguez.
Friday’s victory allowed the Padres to clinch the top wild-card spot and No. 4 seed in the NL playoffs. San Diego will host a yet-to-be determined opponent on Tuesday.
“It’s nice to be able to have a nice accomplishment for the organization and the club and lets us set us up our situation with our pitching and get our regulars off their feet a little bit and be ready to go for Tuesday,” San Diego manager Mike Shildt said after Friday’s victory.
Shildt may have trouble getting star hitter Luis Arraez to take a seat.
Arraez needs one hit for his second straight 200-hit season. He also is seeking his third straight batting title for a third different team after raising his average to .314 by going 3-for-5 with two doubles and one triple on Friday.
“We’ll talk to him,” Shildt said. “I know Louie — he’s going to want to play and get that 200 and add on to what he’s doing. He’s a warrior and a competitor. But we also need to monitor about making sure he feels good and is healthy.”
Arraez won the 2022 American League batting title with the Minnesota Twins and the NL crown last season with the Marlins. He is slightly ahead of Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani (.309), who is bidding for the Triple Crown. Ohtani comfortably leads the NL in homers (54) and RBIs (130).
One player who likely won’t be available for the first playoff series is Padres starting shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, who injured his right (throwing) shoulder on Aug. 18.
Shildt said Kim is able to hit but is having difficulties throwing the baseball.
“He just hasn’t taken the step forward,” Shildt said prior to Friday’s game. “He just hasn’t been able to be more aggressive and create more intensity on the throwing.”
San Diego will recall right-hander Randy Vasquez (4-7, 5.18 ERA) from Triple-A El Paso to start Saturday’s game. He was 2-6 with an 8.64 ERA in 10 starts for El Paso.
Vasquez, 25, gave up nine runs and 11 hits over 4 1/3 innings in an 11-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Aug. 31 in his last major league start.
Vasquez is 0-0 with a 3.46 ERA in two starts against Arizona this season. Corbin Carroll is 4-for-7 vs. Vasquez.
