SAN FRANCISCO -- Chris Paddack is scheduled to pitch on Wednesday in Arizona. After that? Your guess is as good as his.

At some point in September, the Padres will tell Paddack his season is over. He might have one more start. He might have several. The club mapped out a plan -- and an innings limit -- for Paddack, and he’s almost certainly approaching it.

"They haven't told me anything, and I take that as a good thing," said Paddack, who has posted a 3.69 ERA in his breakout rookie season. "My biggest focus right now is that whenever they give me the ball, I need to make sure I'm prepared and ready to go. That's really all I can control."

When Paddack starts on Wednesday, he will be pitching in September for the first time in his pro career. That's no small hurdle for the 23-year-old right-hander. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2016, missed all of '17, then was limited to 90 innings in '18.

But even with a light Minor League workload, Paddack earned his way into the San Diego rotation this spring. The Padres, knowing his limitations, mapped out a plan for his season:

• They've used off-days, bullpen days and callups to ensure Paddack has had five days of rest between all of his starts.

• They haven't let Paddack eclipse 97 pitches, and they generally haven't let him start an at-bat at more than 90 pitches.

• They optioned him to the Minors in June to give him a 10-day breather.

Now -- with Paddack's 124 1/3 innings already a 38 percent increase from last season -- it seems likely he will be shut down before the end of the regular season.

All year, the Padres have been mum regarding when that might happen, even when speaking with Paddack himself. The day after he pitched seven innings of one-run ball on Thursday night, the club sat down with the right-hander to touch base. The tone of that conversation didn't change.

"What we've said all year long is what we continue to say," manager Andy Green said. "’You'll be evaluated after you pitch to make sure you're healthy and you feel strong. If you feel great, you'll get on the mound and throw your bullpen, and then you'll take your next start.’"

Paddack is used to it by now. A season ago, his Double-A season ended early because of an innings restriction. He watched from the bench during the Texas League playoffs. It gnawed at Paddack that he couldn’t be on the mound. But he understood. Still, there's clearly a yearning for 2020 -- even if Paddack won’t readily admit it.

"I'm really not trying to look ahead," Paddack said. "But I know that next year it'll be fun knowing that I can go out there and get the ball, less restrictions, and still be myself.

"Knowing there's no leashes on me -- it's going to be fun."

Noteworthy

• Outfielder Nick Martini, claimed off waivers from Oakland on Wednesday, received his first start for the Padres on Saturday. Martini, a lefty-hitting on-base threat, batted second against Giants right-hander Logan Webb.

• The Padres are planning for another bullpen day Tuesday in Arizona. It will be the sixth time this season they’ve entered a game without either a traditional starting pitcher or a bulk innings-eater after starting with an opener.

To this point, the Padres are 0-5 in those games, including a loss to the Dodgers earlier this week. On Tuesday, however, they’ll have the benefit of bullpen reinforcements after rosters expand.

“It’s going to be a lot better for us,” Green said. “The staff still feels what we did three days ago. There’s a residual impact of running through 10 innings with your bullpen.”

• Green indicated that right-hander Javy Guerra -- a one-time top shortstop prospect who was converted into a pitcher this year -- could be among those callups. Guerra owns a 3.38 ERA over 21 relief appearances this season with 30 strikeouts and 10 walks.