As the Padres prepare for at least one more game minus one important starting pitcher, Martín Pérez and Alek Jacob were additions to their 26-man roster for the National League Division Series against the Dodgers.
Infielder Nick Ahmed was left off the roster to make room for the extra pitcher. The roster is otherwise the same as it was for the wild-card series against the Braves.
The NLDS begins Saturday (5:38 p.m. PT, FS1 and 97.3-FM) with the Padres’ Dylan Cease and Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound at Dodger Stadium.
The Padres had just 12 pitchers on their roster for the best-of-three wild-card series against the Braves. They were always going to have the maximum allowable 13 pitchers for the best-of-five NLDS.
The question is how they will cover Game 4, if it is necessary.
Joe Musgrove would have been the starter in that game, but he left Game 2 of the wild-card series in the fourth inning on Wednesday, and it was announced Friday he will have Tommy John surgery.
The likely choice to start Game 4 is Martín Pérez, who had a 3.46 ERA in 10 starts (52 innings) for the Padres at the end of the season.
“It’s going to take guys to step up,” Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller said Friday. “Martín is one of those guys we’re expecting to step up for us.”
However, the Padres could choose to get through that game in myriad ways, depending on which relievers work in Game 3.
“I’m just trying to be ready for the opportunity,” Pérez said Friday. “I’m ready. I’ve been pitching all year. … They don’t talk to me yet. Maybe I’m going to start. I don’t know. Any spot they tell me, I’m going to be available. I’m just going to help. This is not time for what I want. This is time for what the team needs from me and what I can do.”
Here is the Padres’ roster:
Pitchers (13): RHP Jason Adam, RHP Dylan Cease, RHP Yu Darvish, RHP Jeremiah Estrada, RHP Bryan Hoeing, RHP Alek Jacob, RHP Michael King, LHP Yuki Matsui, LHP Adrián Morejón, LHP Wandy Peralta, LHP Martín Pérez, LHP Tanner Scott, RHP Robert Suarez
Catchers (2): Elías Díaz, Kyle Higashioka
Infielders (6): Luis Arraez, Xander Bogaerts , Jake Cronenworth, Manny Machado, Donovan Solano, Tyler Wade
Outfielders (5): Brandon Lockridge, Jackson Merrill, David Peralta, Jurickson Profar, Fernando Tatis Jr.
Here is the Dodgers’ roster:
