SAN DIEGO -- It's now up to you, Yu.

Unable to close out the National League Division Series at home vs. the Dodgers -- an 8-0 loss on Wednesday night in Game 4 at Petco Park evened the series at 2-2 -- the Padres will happily give the ball to Yu Darvish in the decisive Game 5 on Friday night at Dodger Stadium.

"We've got the right guy on the mound,” Padres third baseman Manny Machado said. “We definitely have all the confidence in the world in him."

Unlike Dylan Cease, who started Game 4 on short rest, Darvish will be pitching with his usual four days of rest. On Sunday, in Game 2 at Dodger Stadium, he gave up one run and three hits over seven innings and 82 pitches during San Diego's 10-2 victory.

Throughout the start, Darvish bedeviled Dodgers hitters by changing speeds and using seven different pitch types. All three of the hits against him were singles.

"He's the one," Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts said. "He's a veteran and a guy that's very experienced -- played so much in Japan, played so much here. He has had so much success and pitched good the first time.

"I feel like if we can give him a little comfort early on, it would be nice."

Darvish, 38, has pitched in playoff elimination games four times, including two winner-take-all games. His team has lost all four games, including with the Padres in Game 5 of the 2022 NL Championship Series vs. the Phillies. In that start, he allowed two runs over six-plus innings and left with a lead before Philadelphia came away with a 4-3 win.

• FAQ: Padres-Dodgers NLDS Game 5

In three of those games, Darvish posted a quality start. The one game he fared poorly happened to be his last winner-take-all outing. It was for the Dodgers against the Astros in Game 7 of the 2017 World Series. The right-hander gave up five runs (four earned) over 1 2/3 innings in a 5-1 defeat at Dodger Stadium.

"I have full confidence," right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. said. "I feel like he’s already proven himself. He’s proven himself for the last 18 years, probably, pitching in baseball. I have all my confidence playing behind him, and I’m ready to go.”

If there is any silver lining for the Padres from their one-sided outing Wednesday, it’s that manager Mike Shildt did not have to use any of his highest-leverage relievers. And there's an off-day Thursday for the other arms to recover.

That means Darvish will have plenty of backup, and the Padres' top relievers -- Jason Adam, Tanner Scott and closer Robert Suarez -- will be well rested after two days off.

"We're in great shape," Shildt said after Game 4. "We took a shot with [Adrian] Morejon and [Jeremiah] Estrada. Both of those guys will be available on Friday, and we'll have a full complement of our bullpen plus a really good starter."

During the regular season, Darvish was 7-3 with a 3.31 ERA in 16 starts. He missed three months because of injuries and time on the restricted list to deal with a personal matter.

Since he returned on Sept. 4, Darvish has a 3.06 ERA over six starts combined in the regular season and postseason. The Padres went 6-0 in those games.

"He's been fantastic," Shildt said. "Confidence level, he's got 203 wins in his career. Pitched a long time, pitched on big stages. Clearly, we're going to have one on Friday. Pitched in international competition and pitched in that stadium very well and recently.

“He's one of the better pitchers of this generation. That's why the confidence is high for me."