SAN DIEGO — Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo said he did not enter the year with specific individual goals in mind, but as he crept closer to a couple of statistical milestones, the prospect of reaching them became more appealing — mostly because of what it would mean to others.

Perdomo blasted his 20th home run of the season on Saturday night, Sept. 27, a shot that left him one RBI shy of 100, as the Diamondbacks lost, 5-1, to the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.

He said it felt good to get to 20, which he called a gratifying byproduct of hard work. But he seemed happier that he got there for the sake of a few others, namely teammate Ketel Marte, close friend and Cleveland Guardians star Jose Ramirez and his cousin, Farlin Benjamin Perdomo, a former player whom he works with in the offseasons. All three have helped him along the way.

“They wanted to get to that,” he said. “I wanted to do it for them.”

Perdomo has enjoyed a stunning offensive season — one almost no one could have seen coming.

As he rose through the club’s minor league system, there were hopes from some in the Diamondbacks organization that he could add strength and perhaps reach double-digits in homers.

But given his power production in each of his first three full seasons in the majors — he hit five homers in 2022, six in 2023 and three in 2024 — even getting to 10 homers seemed far-fetched.

But the switch-hitting Perdomo this year has added strength and a smidge more bat speed, and he has become adept at hitting the ball hard and in the air to the pull side, no matter which side of the plate he is hitting from.

That was exactly what he did against Padres lefty Yuki Matsui in the top of the fifth. With the count 1-1, Matsui threw him a splitter at the bottom of the zone, and Perdomo reached down and lifted it out to left field.

Told that his ability to hook balls out front was reminiscent of Ramirez, Perdomo nodded.

“You know, I work with him and Marte,” Perdomo said. “Every detail from every at-bat they have for me through the season — every little detail, I take it. The way Marte hits with his right-handed swing and Jose, I take a little bit of advantage of that.”

Entering the final day of the season, Perdomo owns a .291/.390/.465 line with 20 homers, 99 RBIs and 27 stolen bases. It is a strong year for any player, but especially a shortstop, and it likely will earn him a Top 5 finish in the National League MVP voting. It will go down as the best season by a shortstop in Diamondbacks history, in no small part because of the increase in power.

“It’s great to see,” Diamondbacks right fielder Corbin Carroll said. “In order to have a high ceiling in this game, that (power) needs to be a part of your game. To see him adding that, it’s awesome to see.”

Manager Torey Lovullo said he thinks there might even be more in Perdomo’s tank in future seasons.

“I think as he learns a little bit more about his swing and continues to fill out with the grown-up strength we all get in our mid-to-late 20s, I think he’s going to get better and better,” Lovullo said. “But I don’t want him to think he’s a power hitter. I want him to do exactly what he’s doing.”

Perdomo said he would like to get to 100 RBIs in the team’s season finale on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 27. Again, more because others want him to — he named Lovullo and bench coach Jeff Banister among those encouraging him — than his own desire.

More important in his mind, he said, is that the finale offers the Diamondbacks a chance to finish their season with a .500 record.

“I would be so happy — more if we win the game, but if I get to 100 it would be just for them,” Perdomo said. “(Finishing .500) is an important mark for me. Because I can say I’m a winning player.”

With the Diamondbacks eliminated from the wild-card race the night before, manager Torey Lovullo is giving right fielder Corbin Carroll and second baseman Ketel Marte the day off on Saturday, Sept. 27.

Shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, however, was given the choice and asked to remain in the lineup, perhaps because he is sitting just shy of round numbers in homers and RBIs.

Carroll has not had a day off since July 11, starting 65 consecutive games. For Marte, it is just the second time he has been out of the lineup since Aug. 28.

“Both have been playing banged up,” Lovullo said. “Their bodies are not 100 percent. Corbin with a broken hand, playing through pain nobody else could understand. Ketel playing banged up, got hit on the foot and came back and I know his lower half is not 100 percent.”

Whether Carroll and Marte return to the lineup for the season finale is not yet clear, Lovullo said.

Lovullo said Perdomo, who has 19 homers and 98 RBIs, did not specifically tell him he wanted to get to 20 and/or 100, but he expects it could have been a motivating factor for him to play. He said Perdomo also wanted to lead by example and be in the lineup even after being eliminated.

Diamondbacks at Padres, 5:40 p.m., Cox, Ch. 34

Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (9-8, 4.91) vs. Padres RHP Michael King (5-3, 3.57).

At Petco Park: Rodriguez turned in another strong outing in his most recent start, firing six scoreless innings against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 9-2 win. … He was roughed up by the Giants in the start before that, but still has a 1.84 ERA in 29 1/3 innings across his past five games, an encouraging sign for a Diamondbacks team that will have him under contract for at least two more seasons. … Rodriguez did not fare well against the Padres in his lone start against them this season, giving up four runs in four innings. RF Fernando Tatis Jr. and 3B Manny Machado each homered off him that night in July. … King has made only 14 starts due to injury this season, but has generally thrown well when he has taken the ball. … He has made three starts since returning from his most recent stint on the injured list. He pitched well in two of them and was bombed by the Mets in the other game. … In two career starts against the Diamondbacks, both coming last year, he has thrown 11 scoreless innings with one walk and eight strikeouts.

Coming up

Sept. 28: At San Diego, 12:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (13-8, 5.00) vs. Padres TBA.