The San Diego Padres take on the Arizona Diamondbacks. Check out our MLB odds series for our Padres Diamondbacks prediction and pick.
Yu Darvish takes the bump for the Padres, while Ryne Nelson goes to the hill for the Diamondbacks.
Yu Darvish is pitching like an ace right now, and the Padres have needed him to raise his game. Darvish has been very good this year, but in recent starts, he has shown true greatness. He blanked the Dodgers in seven innings on Sept. 2, allowing only two hits. He had a good start in his next outing, and then in his most recent start on Sept. 13 in Seattle, he shut out the Mariners in eight dominant innings, throwing another two-hitter. That's a pair of two-hitters in his last three starts. His September ERA, in three starts, is just 1.29. This is the shutdown starter the Padres need in their attempt to fend off the hard-charging Milwaukee Brewers in the National League wild card race. The Brewers have won back-to-back games against the New York Yankees. The Padres have needed their two recent wins in Phoenix against the D-Backs to maintain their lead. They will need Darvish to continue to preserve that small advantage over Milwaukee.
Ryne Nelson has had quite a beginning to his MLB career. The Diamondbacks called him up earlier this month, and in his first two starts, Nelson has been as good as one could possibly imagine. Two starts, 13 innings, no runs allowed. How's that for a big-league entrance? The Diamondbacks are stockpiling quality pitching as they prepare for the 2023 season. The emergence of high-level pitchers such as Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly in 2022 has given Arizona legitimate hope that it can be a wild card contender in 2023. Nelson adds to Arizona's pitching arsenal, giving the team another starter who can eat innings and reduce the strain on an underperforming bullpen. If Arizona retools that bullpen and can add another bat, the starting rotation — with Nelson as a part of it — gives the D-Backs real hope for next year.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Padres-Diamondbacks MLB odds.
MLB Odds: Padres-Diamondbacks Odds
San Diego Padres: -1.5 (+112)
Arizona Diamondbacks: +1.5 (-134)
Over: 8.5 (-102)
Under: 8 (-120)
Why The Padres Could Cover the Spread
Yu Darvish has been through a playoff push before. He has been through all the battles. He has pitched in Game 7 of a World Series (in 2017 for the Los Angeles Dodgers versus the Houston Astros). He knows the stakes for the Padres, and he has raised his game this September with dominant outings against really good teams, the Dodgers and Mariners. If he can do that against elite teams, he can shut down the Diamondbacks, whose lack of consistent hitting has held them back in 2022. Joe Musgrove stepped up for the Padres on Saturday. Padre starters really seem to be grasping the enormity of the moment, and they are all answering the call. Expect Darvish to be very good here.
Why The Diamondbacks Could Cover the Spread
After losing back-to-back games, the Diamondbacks can bounce back with their secret weapon, Ryne Nelson. Pitching 13 scoreless innings in one's first two MLB starts is not normal. Ryne Nelson could be a special pitcher who changes the outlook for the franchise. If you think Ryne Nelson will continue to dominate, you have your reason to pick the D-Backs over the Padres. The Padres have to prove they can hit Nelson. They didn't when they faced him earlier this month.
Final Padres-Diamondbacks Prediction & Pick
This is a stay-away game, but if you insist on a pick, take the Padres, simply because Nelson has faced them before. San Diego hitters should be able to do better than they did the last time.
Final Padres-Diamondbacks Prediction & Pick: Padres -1.5
Follow Us
Subscribe