Padres pregame: Arrieta, Happ meet in St. Louis series finale

What is the game after the biggest game of the season called?

Whatever it is, that’s what the Padres are playing Sunday in the finale of a series against the Cardinals, who lead them by 2½ games in the race for the National League’s second wild-card spot.

The Padres’ playoff chances, with 14 games remaining, are down to 11.5 percent, according to FanGraphs. They were 11.7 percent Saturday and 18.7 percent Friday.

On Aug. 10, when the Padres were a season-high 17 games above .500, those chances stood at 80.2 percent. The Padres enter Sunday’s game with a 76-72 record.

“We know where we’re at,” manager Jayce Tingler said after Saturday night’s 3-2 loss in a game the Padres had identified as virtually imperative they win.

Here is their lineup for Game No. 149:

Sunday brings a matchup of pitchers who have known success over long careers and are relatively new to their current teams.

Jake Arrieta, 35, makes his fourth start for the Padres after being signed Aug. 16 following his release by the Cubs. The Cardinals’ J.A. Happ, 38, makes his ninth start for the Cardinals, having been acquired from the Twins in a July 30 trade.

Arrieta has allowed 11 runs in 12 innings. He has gone five innings in one of the three starts.

Happ has a 4.08 ERA over 39 2/3 innings with the Cardinals. The left-hander has two quality starts and is coming off a start against the Reds a week ago in which he shut them out for 5 2/3 innings.

The Cardinals lineup: