As several of his teammates hoped, knuckleballer Matt Waldron has been recalled for Sunday’s series finale. Left-hander Martín Pérez is still slated to start, so the expectation is that Waldron will help cover innings out of the bullpen as the Padres begin to turn their attention toward the upcoming wild-card series.

Sunday’s first pitch is at 12:10 p.m. and a number of regulars are out of the lineup.

That didn’t do the Diamondbacks much help on Saturday as a B lineup out-hit a team still playing for one of two remaining NL wild-card spots.

On Sunday, Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, Jurickson Profar and Donovan Solano are sitting. Fernando Tatis Jr. is back in the lineup as the designated hitter, Luis Arraez will play first base as he looks to hold off Shohei Ohtani in the NL batting title race, Jake Cronenworth is at second base and center fielder Jackson Merrill is in the lineup as the clean-up hitter.

Game 162. pic.twitter.com/Oddeq0q0nz

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 29, 2024

As for the backups in Tuesday’s lineup, Brandon Lockridge will play right field a day after hitting his first MLB homer, Tyler Wade will man third base, Nick Ahmed will play shortstop, David Peralta will play left and Elias Diaz will make his final regular-season start behind the plate.

Waldron is expected to follow Pérez into the game at some point.

To add him to the roster, Saturday’s starter, Randy Vásquez was optioned to Triple-A El Paso. Both Waldron and Vásquez had been staying ready at the Padres’ spring training complex to help cover innings in case the Padres were able to use this series to set up pitching for the wild-card round.

Waldron (7-11, 4.79 ERA) had a 3.64 ERA through July 29 only to allow 28 runs over 24 innings to force the Padres to send him to El Paso on Aug. 29. Waldron made four starts in the minors, striking out 17 against three walks over 19⅔ innings (4.58 ERA). Waldron made three starts against the Diamondbacks, allowing 11 earned runs in 15 innings (6.60 ERA), but most of the damage was in a blow-up game on May 5 at Chase Field (3 IP, 7 ER).

Here is how Arizona will line up for a series finale in which they will need all kinds of help to extend its season without a win:

Game 162.https://t.co/epBmrbY9CZ | https://t.co/k9Xjx1tKgF pic.twitter.com/TcJwxYiwgN

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) September 29, 2024

Sunday’s pitching matchup

Padres LHP Martín Perez (5-5, 4.25 ERA)

With the home-field advantage wrapped up, the Padres used Saturday and Sunday to line up their top arms for the wild-card series. Pérez could be a long-relief option as ghost runners are not placed on second base in extra innings as is the case in the regular season. Pérez is 3-0 with a 2.61 ERA in nine starts since coming over at the trade deadline. Pérez last faced Arizona in last year’s World Series, allowing four runs in 1⅓ innings while coming out of the Rangers’ bullpen. He has started only twice in his career against the D-backs (3.45 ERA, 10⅓ IP) and not since 2018.

Here is how Perez has fared against current Diamondbacks:

D-backs RHP Brandon Pfaadt (10-10, 4.80 ERA)

Pfaadt is on regular rest, but it’s all hands on deck as ace Zac Gallen will be available out of the bullpen. As for Pfaadt, the second-year starter has a 7.07 ERA over his last 11 starts, which includes allowing five runs in 2⅔ innings in a loss on Tuesday to the Giants. Pfaadt is 0-2 with a 5.17 ERA, 15 strikeouts and just one walk in 15⅔ innings this year against the Padres. He has allowed three home runs in those starts.

Here is how Pfaadt has fared against current Padres: