Arizona @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 4, 2019 ) San Diego 1, Arizona 4

The Arizona Diamondbacks were already a longshot to make the playoffs, and they are facing the possibility of trying to make an unlikely postseason push without their best player. With Ketel Marte sidelined indefinitely, the Diamondbacks begin their last road series of the season Friday when they visit the San Diego Padres for the first of three games.

A six-game losing streak from Sept. 8-13 effectively took Arizona out of the running in the National League wild-card race, and the news didn't get any better when an MRI on Wednesday revealed Marte was dealing with back inflammation. The 2019 All-Star is reportedly still awaiting the results of a CT scan Thursday, meaning his status for the remainder of the season is up in the air with only nine games remaining. The Diamondbacks enter the weekend following a day off needing to make up five games in order to grab the second wild card, although they are coming off a 5-4 victory against Miami in the rubber match of their three-game set on Wednesday. The Padres (69-84) are already guaranteed a better record than last year's 66-96 finish, but they lost for the seventh time in eight contests following Thursday's 5-1 setback at Milwaukee.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, FS San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Merrill Kelly (11-14, 4.49 ERA) vs. Padres LH Eric Lauer (8-9, 4.60)

Kelly has been Arizona's best starting pitcher in September, improving to 2-1 with a 1.35 ERA in three turns this month after working seven scoreless innings in a win over Cincinnati on Saturday. The 30-year-old began September with a similar performance at home against San Diego, striking out nine while blanking the Padres in seven frames. Eric Hosmer (4-for-10, two doubles, four RBIs) has fared well against Kelly, who is 2-1 with a 5.03 ERA in four starts versus San Diego in his rookie campaign.

Lauer's road struggles continued in Saturday's loss at Colorado after he was tagged for six runs (four earned) over 2 1/3 innings, leaving him with a 4-6 record and 6.27 ERA in 14 starts away from home. The Kent State product is scheduled to make his final two turns of the season at home, however, where he is 4-3 with a 3.08 ERA in 14 games (13 starts). Eduardo Escobar is 4-for-11 against Lauer, who is 1-2 with a 4.24 ERA in three turns against the Diamondbacks in 2019.

WALK-OFFS

1. Escobar is five RBIs shy of tying Paul Goldschmidt (120; 2017) for the fourth-highest single-season total in club history.

2. San Diego has scored two or fewer runs in four straight contests and 48 times this season.

3. Arizona INF Wilmer Flores is batting .400 with five doubles, six homers and 16 RBIs in his last 23 games.

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 4, Padres 3