What happened: San Diego sends Manny Machado and the heart of its order back out against Atlanta with the Padres holding a 2-0 lead in the series. Machado remains the central bat the lineup runs through as the two clubs meet again in San Diego. The matchup is underway with the series standing at two games to none in the Padres' favor.

Why it matters: The series carries real weight for a San Diego club that slid out of a playoff spot earlier this month and has been scrapping to stay in the race at 40-37. Atlanta arrives as the stronger team on paper at 48-29, which makes the Padres' early series edge a meaningful result against a contender. How San Diego performs here factors directly into its standing in a crowded field.

What to watch: Watch whether Machado and the Padres lineup can keep pressing against an Atlanta club that has dropped two straight, with the series count still standing at 2-0.