San Diego @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 27, 2019 ) San Diego 3, Arizona 6

The San Diego Padres clinched their fourth straight 90-defeat season on Friday but still believe they have the pieces in place to contend as soon as next season. Several key veterans will need to bounce back next year for the underachieving Padres, who continue their three-game series against the host Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday.

Eric Hosmer, Manny Machado and Wil Myers have each performed below expectations for a Padres team that has lost 13 of its last 15 games and fallen to 70-90 after bringing a .500 record into the All-Star break. Signed to a 10-year, $300 million contract before the season, Machado began the weekend batting .139 in September but went 3-for-4 with a solo homer in Friday’s 6-3 loss. Arizona guaranteed itself a third consecutive winning season earlier this week and carried the momentum into Friday, when Jake Lamb delivered a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the eighth inning to provide the winning margin. Tim Locastro added two hits for the Diamondbacks, who have won five straight at home against San Diego and six of seven overall versus its National League West rival.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, FS Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Garrett Richards (0-1, 11.81 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Robbie Ray (12-8, 4.28)

Making his second start since returning from Tommy John surgery, Richards allowed four runs over 1 2/3 innings in a no-decision against Arizona on Sunday. “It's about health,” San Diego interim manager Rod Barajas told reporters. “The velocity is there. He came out of the game when he did because we didn't want to run the pitch count up in that inning. We took him out of the game, but he feels healthy, he feels strong.” The 31-year-old is expected to be a fixture in the team’s rotation next spring.

Ray registered 10 strikeouts and allowed four runs over 5 1/3 innings in a no-decision against San Diego on Sunday. The 27-year-old Tennessean has been Arizona’s most consistent starter this season with a 225-to-81 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 33 games (32 starts) covering 168 1/3 frames. Hosmer (3-for-12, two homers) and Hunter Renfroe (3-for-20, three) have enjoyed mixed results against Ray, who is 5-5 with a 4.15 ERA in 15 career starts versus San Diego.

WALK-OFFS

1. Diamondbacks RHP Taijuan Walker is expected to make his first start since April 2018 in Sunday’s regular-season finale.

2. San Diego OF Manuel Margot has recorded four hits in his last 36 at-bats.

3. Arizona OF Abraham Almonte is unavailable this weekend due to a hamstring injury.

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 6, Padres 3