The Padres don’t need a fifth starter again until July 22.

They do need bullpen help now.

So rookie Ryan Bergert was optioned to Triple-A El Paso and rookie Alek Jacob was called up to bolster the bullpen ahead of Saturday’s 4:35 p.m. start on Fox.

The Padres’ so-called “Four Horsemen” — Robert Suarez, Jason Adam, Adrián Morejón and Jeremiah Estrada — have all pitched three of the last four games and their availability is a question on a day in which Yu Darvish is making just his second start since coming off the injured list.

“It’s pretty straightforward, and it’s unfortunate for Bergert, because, gosh darn, he threw the ball well and was throwing the ball fantastic,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “But it’s a combination of at least primarily just making sure we are fortified in our bullpen. We’ve had some shorter starts and we’ll see how many Yu can go today. And so it’s more of a bullpen roster management standpoint and taking advantage of the break as well.”

Bergert has a 2.84 ERA in his first 31⅔ innings in the majors, allowed just two solo homers in 4⅔ innings in Friday’s start and likely tops the list of candidates to fill the fifth spot in the rotation when it’s needed again five days after the All-Star break.

Stephen Kolek and Matt Waldron are likely on the short list, and Omar Cruz, Henry Baez and Braden Nett could be candidates for starts down the stretch, at least until Michael King returns from the injured list.

Jacob had a 6.94 ERA in 23⅓ innings in the majors to start the year, although 12 earned runs over a four-appearance stretch torpedoed an ERA that sat at 2.75 on May 14.

Jacob also had a 7.84 ERA in 10⅓ innings at Triple-A El Paso, although he’d struck out seven over four no-hit innings over his last four appearances. He last pitched on July 9.

The Padres will need coverage. Darvish threw 63 pitches in Monday’s season debut and is on four days’ rest.

Friday’s win drew the Padres to within 4½ games of the Dodgers in the NL West. The Dodgers entered Saturday on a seven-game losing streak. The Padres begin the day a half-game out of the NL’s last wild-card spot.

Here is how the Padres will line up for Game 2:

Darvish on the bump. pic.twitter.com/wGE9UG6vCA

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 12, 2025

And here is how the Phillies (54-40, 1st in NL East) will line up:

Wheeler takes the mound#RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/VzFqMr9z2C

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 12, 2025

Saturday’s pitching matchup

Phillies RHP Zack Wheeler (9-3, 2.17 ERA)

He leads the majors with 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings and 5.7 hits per nine innings. The 35-year-old ace beat the Padres with 10 strikeouts over eight shutout innings last week in Philadelphia. He was one hit — a home run —shy of a perfect game in his last start and has allowed one run or less in nine of his last 10 starts (1.25 ERA).

Here’s how Wheeler has fared against current Padres in the regular season:

Padres RHP Yu Darvish (0-1, 4.91 ERA)

The 35-year-old veteran threw 41 of his 63 pitches for strikes in Monday’s season debut, allowing two runs on three hits and three walks in 3⅔ innings in a loss. Darvish struck out five. He has a 2.15 ERA in eight starts against the Phillies, the last in 2023 in a win (6 IP, 1 ER). Darvish had a 2.77 ERA in two starts against the Phillies in the 2022 NLCS.

Here’s how Darvish has fared against current Phillies in the regular season: