San Diego @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 8, 2019 ) Colorado 1, San Diego 2

The Colorado Rockies host the San Diego Padres for a three-game series beginning Friday as they play out the string in a season that many thought could end with a third straight wild card berth. Colorado (62-85) is last in the National League West, but its superstar third baseman Nolan Arenado continues to provide his typical gold glove defense and booming bat.

Arenado, who averaged 39.5 home runs and 125.8 RBIs from 2015-18, has 39 homers and 112 RBIs this season with 15 games to play. "This is something nobody expected," Arenado, a career .294 hitter who won a Gold Glove in each of his first six years, told reporters about the lost season. "We didn't expect it to be like this. But it is. There's no running away from it. It is what it is." San Diego's Manny Machado (29 HRs, 79 RBIs) didn't start Thursday - he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded while pinch hitting in the ninth inning of a 4-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs - after the slugger went 4-for-32 in his previous nine games as his disappointing first season with the Padres winds down. San Diego's Joey Lucchesi on Friday hopes to make it two straight victories when he faces Colorado and Jeff Hoffman for the second consecutive start.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Joey Lucchesi (10-7, 3.84 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Jeff Hoffman (1-6, 7.06)

Lucchesi allowed two hits and a career-high five walks with eight strikeouts in six innings of a 3-0 victory over Colorado on Saturday. The 26-year-old California native is 3-0 with a 1.57 ERA over his last four starts - yielding three runs across 12 innings over two road turns (1-0), improving his record away from home to 2-4 with a 5.43 ERA. Arenado is 6-for-17 with a home run and five strikeouts against Lucchesi, who is 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA in seven starts against the Rockies - 1-0, 1.56 in three career outings at Coors Field.

Hoffman permitted three runs and five hits (two homers) with eight strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings Saturday in his second start since being recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque. The 26-year-old New Yorker allowed two runs and nine hits across five innings of a 6-2 setback versus Pittsburgh on Sept. 1. San Diego's Hunter Renfroe belted two solo home runs in six at-bats versus Hoffman, who is 1-2 with a 2.01 ERA in six games (four starts) against the Padres.

WALK-OFFS

1. Colorado INF Josh Fuentes - Arenado's cousin - belted his first career home run in Thursday's 10-3 loss to St. Louis.

2. San Diego OF Wil Myers on Thursday went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, ending an 11-game hitting streak during which he was 16-for-34 with three home runs and 10 RBIs. He was ejected in the ninth inning for arguing balls and strikes.

3. The season series is tied 8-8 after San Diego took two of three at home last weekend with Colorado winning four of seven at Coors Field.

PREDICTION: Padres 6, Rockies 5