SAN DIEGO -- The Padres have overcome their share of obstacles in what's already been a trying 2021 season. With two months left on the schedule, they figured they'd have to face a few more.

But maybe not quite like this. Maybe not so many at once. Entering August -- and the dog days that come with it -- the Padres' resolve is about to be tested in a big way. San Diego lost its second straight to the Rockies, a 5-3 defeat on Saturday night at Petco Park, dropping them further behind the Giants and Dodgers in the NL West standings.

And that’s not the worst of it. Before Saturday’s game, the Padres placed star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. (left shoulder inflammation) and right-hander Chris Paddack (left oblique strain) on the injured list. Both of those injuries were sustained on Friday, and Paddack’s came with a particularly cruel twist.

At Friday afternoon’s Trade Deadline, the Padres’ front office passed on adding a starting pitcher. It was mere hours later that Paddack felt something in his side during his between-starts bullpen session. He was shut down immediately. A thin Padres rotation was suddenly even thinner. (Not to mention the blockbuster deals made by San Diego’s two primary rivals in the NL West.)

Indeed, it’s been a brutal month this weekend for the Padres.

But they had ace right-hander Yu Darvish on the mound on Saturday night, with a chance to begin reversing their fortunes. That wasn’t to be. Darvish surrendered five runs over six innings, including a season-high three homers. The Padres got a two-run blast from Jake Cronenworth, but little else offensively.

“The good thing about baseball is we’re going to play tomorrow,” said Padres manager Jayce Tingler. “We’ve got a chance to turn it around.”

As for Darvish, he owns a 7.71 ERA across six starts this month, sandwiched around a trip to the IL because of back and hip tightness. Through June, he was the Padres’ unquestioned ace. Now, he’s struggling to find that same form.

“Last couple of games, I’ve just been missing spots,” Darvish said. “I’m not necessarily looking at it negatively. If I assess myself for today’s game, as the game went on, the fastball became better. It had more ride to it. The two-seamer became a better pitch, too. The past three, four games, I feel like each game I’m improving. I feel like it’s getting better and better, little by little.”

Thing is, the Padres don’t have much room for incremental improvements. They’re slowly losing their grasp on the NL West race, and might soon find themselves more invested in hanging on to the second Wild Card spot. (They lead the Reds by four games in that department.)

“We understand what’s at stake,” Tingler said. “The frustrating thing is we haven’t gotten it clicking on all the cylinders yet. That’s been extremely frustrating. We feel it.”

Of course, this isn’t the first time the Padres have found themselves staring down some adversity. They’ve seen Tatis land on the IL twice before this season, and even with Saturday’s loss, they’re 13-5 when he’s on the IL. In May, they had five offensive regulars hit the COVID-related IL, then went 10-1 before they all returned.

Again, the 2021 Padres will be tested -- perhaps the toughest test they’ve faced yet. But the task is by no means insurmountable. They’re currently comfortably in a playoff spot, with the sport’s top-ranked bullpen and an excellent offense. They’re hopeful that offense won’t be without its best player for too long. In the meantime ...

“It’s just about continuing to come together as a group,” Tingler said. “Nobody try to do too much. Just do your jobs individually. Collectively come together. Stay positive, and keep working. We’ve got to stay focused now on tomorrow. Get this game tomorrow.”

Tomorrow -- a new day, a new month, a new baseball game. The Padres, more than ever, are ready to turn the page.