What happened: The San Diego Padres have dropped a 500 for the first time since April 7. The skid has dragged them to 43-44 heading into Saturday's scheduled game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who lead the season series 4-1.

Why it matters: Three weeks ago the Padres held a playoff position; the collapse has flattened their wild-card standing and sharpened questions about their direction ahead of the trade deadline. The surging Marlins already climbed into a wild-card tie with San Diego in late June, and the 58-31 Dodgers have pulled further away atop the NL West.

What to watch: The Padres continue the series in Los Angeles on Saturday, looking to stop the slide before the deadline picture hardens. How the front office reads the next two weeks could determine whether San Diego buys or sells in July.