The Arizona Diamondbacks, last year’s National League champions, picked a bad time to go into a slump.
Entering action last Sunday, they were riding a four-game winning streak and possessed the second wild card in the National League. But when they take the field in Phoenix on Sunday afternoon against the San Diego Padres for the regular-season finale, they will be on the outside looking in.
Arizona (88-73) has lost five of its past six games, including the first two games of the series against the Padres by 5-3 and 5-0 scores. Now, the Diamondbacks face a must-win situation — and still will need help — if they are to return to the postseason.
They could be eliminated Sunday with a loss amid eight different postseason scenarios involving the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets in a three-team race for the final two NL wild-card spots.
Or, the Diamondbacks could clinch a postseason berth with a win Sunday and losses by both Atlanta (88-71), against Kansas City, and the New York Mets (87-72), vs. Milwaukee.
Or, they can win and wait until Monday to see what happens when the Braves and Mets meet in a doubleheader in Atlanta, a make-up for games postponed last week because of Hurricane Helene.
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo’s advice to his players is to go back to what they did this season as they worked to lead the National League in runs.
“Offensively, we’re all trying to do a little too much,” Lovullo said after his team managed only two hits, the first coming from Corbin Carroll in the sixth, on Saturday. “My message would be … don’t be the hero, hand it off to your brother that’s sitting in back of you.”
The Padres (93-68), meanwhile, are sitting pretty, with the fourth overall seed in the NL playoffs locked up. They will continue to rest some starters on Sunday to stay fresh for the start of a three-game wild-card round at home on Tuesday.
San Diego recalled Randy Vasquez to start Saturday’s game. He had a no-hitter through five innings but didn’t get a decision despite six one-hit innings. The game was scoreless until San Diego scored five runs in the ninth.
“He did a really nice job filling in in the rotation,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said.
Veteran left-hander Martin Perez (5-5, 4.25 ERA) will start for San Diego on Sunday.
Perez is 0-1 with a 3.48 ERA in two career starts against Arizona, both of which came when he was with the Texas Rangers. He has not faced the Diamondbacks since 2018.
San Diego rested six regulars in the lineup on Saturday, too, including star Luis Arraez, who is seeking a third straight batting title and is one hit shy of a second straight 200-hit season.
Shildt said he expects Arraez to be in the lineup Sunday. Arraez is hitting .314, which slightly leads the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani (.310) for the NL lead. Ohtani would win the Triple Crown if he were to win the batting title.
Right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (10-10, 4.80 ERA) will start for Arizona on Sunday. Pfaadt is 0-2 with a 3.81 ERA in five career starts against San Diego, with both losses this season.
Arizona will need him to be at his best, and the D-backs won’t spare any arms in relief, either. Lovullo didn’t rule ace Zac Gallen making an appearance out of the bullpen on Sunday.
“It’s all in tomorrow,” Lovullo said Saturday.
