Padres at Giants
The San Francisco Giants' slim postseason hopes have taken a hit as the team has lost six of its last eight contests to fall six games off the pace in the National League wild-card race. San Francisco attempts to turn things around and remain in contention when it hosts the San Diego Padres on Thursday for the opener of their four-game series.
The Giants were on their way to a four-game sweep in Arizona before losing the series finale to begin their downward spiral, which also includes a pair of setbacks against the Diamondbacks that kicked off their six-game homestand. Brandon Belt recorded two of the team's five hits - including an RBI double - as San Francisco dropped a 3-2 decision on Tuesday for its third straight home defeat. The Padres used some late-inning magic on Wednesday to erase a deficit before falling 6-4 in 10 innings to the NL-leading Los Angeles Dodgers. Eric Hosmer homered and drove in two runs to raise his RBI total to 87 as he looks to post the second 100-RBI season of his career.
TV: 9:45 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Chris Paddack (7-7, 3.84 ERA) vs. Giants RH Dereck Rodriguez (5-6, 5.26)
Paddack is coming off the shortest start of his brief career, a loss to Boston on Friday in which he was tagged for six runs and seven hits over 2 1/3 innings. It marked the third time in four turns in August the 23-year-old rookie from Texas has yielded at least five runs, as his 10.06 ERA this month can attest. Paddack will be making his third start against the Giants following a pair of no-decisions - a five-inning outing at home in his major-league debut on March 31 in which he allowed one run and a five-inning effort at San Francisco that saw him permit three runs.
Rodriguez escaped Chicago with a no-decision on Aug. 21 after being battered by the Cubs for six runs on six hits and three walks in four innings. Also hailing from the Lone Star State, the 27-year-old was much more effective in his previous turn as he scattered three hits over seven scoreless frames in a victory at Arizona. Rodriguez, who has made four straight starts on the road since rejoining the rotation, was victorious at San Diego in his season debut on March 30 after allowing two runs over five innings but lost to the Padres at home on April 10 despite giving up a pair of runs in seven frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Padres INF Manny Machado has hit safely in 10 of his last 12 contests but has belted just one homer in 24 games this month.
2. San Francisco OF Alex Dickerson, who began this season - his first in the majors since 2016 - with San Diego before being traded in June, is batting .350 since the deal and has recorded 21 of his 41 hits for extra bases.
3. San Diego recalled LHP Nick Margevicius from Double-A Amarillo, claimed OF Nick Martini off waivers from Oakland and optioned C Austin Allen to Triple-A El Paso.