Padres pregame: Looking to avoid first five-game skid; Profar in left over Pham

Five times, the Padres have halted losing streaks at four games. This time, their playoff hopes hang in the balance as they carry a season-worst four-game winning streak into Tuesday’s 6:45 p.m. start at Oracle Park.

After all, Monday’s 9-1 loss to the Giants dropped the Padres a half-game behind the Cincinnati Reds in the race for the NL’s second wild-card spot, tied with the Cardinals (74-69) and just 2½ games up on the Phillies.

Here’s a look at the Padres’ previous four-game losing streaks:

• May 30-June 2, dropping them from first in the NL West to two games out;
• June 8-12, dropping them from 2½ games out of first in the NL West to four;
• Aug. 11-14, dropping them from seven games out to 10;
• Aug. 16-20, dropping them from 10 games out to 12;
• Aug. 22-26, dropping them from 12 games out to 16.

The first four-game skid was about a week removed from a nine-game winning streak. They started an eight-game winning streak five games after their second four-game slide.

They’ve won at least three in a row just three times since, but Padres manager Jayce Tingler believes his team can rebound to the levels it had twice earlier this season.

Mostly because he needs to believe that.

“We’ve had two really good hot runs,” Tingler said. “ … A lot of belief in this team through the offseason, spring training, regular season and now and I feel like we’ve got one more hot stretch in us, and I feel if we do that we got a chance to take that momentum into the playoffs.

“Our goals from spring training are still there. We want to get into the playoffs and we want to win a World Series. It’s out in front of us.”

To stop this skid, the Padres are sticking with Trent Grisham in the leadoff spot for the sixth straight game and using Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado in the two/three holes for the first time since Sept. 5.

Eric Hosmer will follow with his 34^th start in the clean-up spot, followed by Austin Nola, Adam Frazier and Wil Myers in right field.

Jurickson Profar will start in left field for the first time since Aug. 31 in place of the slumping Tommy Pham.

Not that Profar is hitting much either.

Profar is 1-for-19 in 10 games in September, while Pham is hitting .152/.263/.273 in 34 games since Aug. 1.

Here is the Giants’ lineup:

Tuesday’s pitching matchup

Padres RHP Jake Arrieta (5-12, 7.04 ERA)

Because of two off-days last week, Arrieta hasn’t pitched since Sept. 3. He struck out three and allowed three runs on three hits and a walk in five innings in that start, his first since going on the injured list with a hamstring strain.

Here is how current Giants have fared in their careers against Arrieta:

The Padres’ Jake Arrieta vs. current Giants

(Baseball-reference.com)

Giants RHP Anthony DeSclafani (11-6, 3.33 ERA)

He’s 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA, 10 strikeouts and a 1.04 WHIP in three starts (16 1/3 IP) this year against the Padres. DeSclafani has a 5.40 ERA over his last seven starts and has completed six innings just once in that span.

Here is how DeSclafani has fared in his career against current Padres:

The Giants’ Anthony DeSclafani vs. current Padres

(Baseball-reference.com)