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It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a Padres-Athletics prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Padres-Athletics.
The San Diego Padres got off to a good start in their series against the Athletics in Sacramento on Monday night. This refers to the fact that they won the first game of the series, but it also refers to the fact that San Diego got three runs in the top of the first to immediately take charge of the game and give itself a cushion. That cushion mattered when the A's trimmed the deficit to 4-3 and then moved within 5-4. The Padre bullpen was not airtight, but it was able to protect the lead in the ninth for a 5-4 win.
With the Los Angeles Dodgers losing in Washington against the Nationals, and the San Francisco Giants losing to the Cincinnati Reds, the Padres moved ahead of LA and San Francisco to get first place in the National League West. The Padres have the makings of a special team. They play in the toughest division in baseball, so they know they need to beat up on inferior opponents to give themselves the best possible chance of winning the West.
Padres-Athletics Projected Starters
Dylan Cease vs Jeffrey Springs
Dylan Cease (1-0) was very strong against Cleveland last week. There isn't a whole lot else the Padres would have wanted from that start, other than being able to go seven complete innings. The more innings Cease can throw, the less the bullpen will be taxed. Every MLB title contender (the Padres are clearly one) wants the high-end starters to go max innings so that the bullpen is fresh for the games in which the back-end rotation starters pitch. That way, the bullpen can go four innings to help the back-end guys, but doesn't have to work too much when the elite front-end starters take the bump.
Last Start: April 2 vs Cleveland Guardians — 6 1/3 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 HR, 1 BB, 7 K
Jeffrey Springs (1-1) got rocked early against the Cubs last week. He ran into a hot-hitting Chicago team. Now he needs to find a way to contain the very potent Padres, who have a ton of talent and firepower and have unleashed it on many occasions in the young season.
Last Start: April 2 vs Chicago Cubs — 3 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 1 HR, 4 BB, 3 K
Here are the Padres-Athletics MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Padres-Athletics Odds
San Diego Padres: -1.5 (+116)
Moneyline: -144
Athletics: +1.5 (-140)
Moneyline: +122
Over: 8.5 (+100)
Article Continues Below
Under: 8.5 (-122)
How to Watch Padres vs Athletics
Time: 10:05 p.m. ET/7:05 p.m. PT
TV: MLB (Padres) | NBC Sports California (Athletics)
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why The Padres Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Padres' offense was a lot more inconsistent in the previous few seasons. This year, so far, San Diego is reliably producing at the plate. The Padres aren't as volatile. They aren't getting shut down as much. If they score five runs in this game — as they did Monday night against the A's — that should be more than enough with the caliber of pitching they have. Dylan Cease is an elite pitcher. He should be able to help the Padres cover the spread if San Diego scores at least five runs.
Why The Athletics Will Cover The Spread/Win
Jeffrey Springs was a good pitcher with the Tampa Bay Rays. The A's will cover the spread if the good version of Springs shows up here against the Padres. The A's did cover the spread on Monday, losing by one run as a 1.5-run underdog on the run line. The Athletics can do the same here as they try to win their first home game in Sacramento after four losses. They are bound to win at some point. This could be a “laws of averages” baseball win for the A's.
Final Padres-Athletics Prediction & Pick
We went with the Padres moneyline on Monday and did not try to get greedy by going for the -1.5 runs. That bet turned out to be smart, as the Padres won by only one run. Let's keep it simple here and focus on cashing tickets more than chasing the plus money price. Padre moneyline again.
Final Padres-Athletics Prediction & Pick: Padres moneyline
