Getting together for a National League West matchup, the San Diego Padres will take on the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park Friday night. This clash will be the opener of a four-game divisional set between two clubs that haven’t already made acquaintances in 2022.
The Padres (35-22) are doing their best to apply pressure and stay on the heels of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who lead them by two games in the standings. San Diego has recently done well against a pair of strong crews in Milwaukee and the New York Mets, winning five of their last six.
Colorado (25-32) resides in the cellar of the grouping, but is hoping to build on a series win over San Francisco. Prior to that, the Rockies were swept in four games by Atlanta. Only Cincinnati has fewer wins in away contests than their nine.
The Rockies’ shortcomings are curious in the fact that – average-wise – they’re the second-best offense in the big leagues. As a whole, they’re hitting .259. Center fielder Yonathan Daza, shortstop Jose Iglesias, and first baseman C.J. Cron lead the charge, with each swinging for a .285 average or better.
Cron paces the group with 14 home runs and 41 RBIs. Both marks rank within the MLB’s top 10. On the road, Cron is only hitting .191, however. He’ll have to change that in order to help his side against the hosts.
Rockies at Padres Odds
MLB odds have the Padres favored to get out on the right foot in this slate. San Diego is -1.5 on the run line at -111, while the Rockies are -108 to cover the spread.
On the moneyline, the Padres are -240 and Colorado a +198 underdog. The total has been set at 7.5 runs, with the over being -104 and the under -118 at the time of this writing.
MLB betting trends will tell you that the Padres are getting things done despite a team batting average that grades out in the league’s bottom third. Without third baseman Manny Machado, things at the dish would be going considerably worse for San Diego.
Machado leads the team in all major statistical categories, including batting average (.329), home runs (9), and runs driven in (36).
First baseman Eric Hosmer is adding some help, hitting .329 with nine homers and 16 doubles. Both players have had a good deal of success in front of a friendly crowd.
In the last week, right fielder Jose Azocar has found a groove by recording five hits in 13 plate appearances. He’s come across five times during that stretch.
Matchup Information
Rockies at Padres Betting Preview
Right-hander Joe Musgrove is off to a fantastic start for the home team, and he’ll look to build upon that even further in taking the mound in this one.
His 1.64 ERA is the fourth-lowest in the majors, and his 0.92 WHIP is among the best, as well. He has a spotless 6-0 record. In his last appearance against Milwaukee, he had what is arguably his best showing yet. He went eight innings, allowing one hit and no runs while punching out six.
Chad Kuhl will go for the Rockies, toting a 3.17 ERA. He’s 4-2 thus far, but Colorado has fallen short in five of his last six outings. He won three straight starts in April.
Rockies at Padres Picks and Predictions
Musgrove has been a crucial arm for San Diego this season, and if his no-hit bid against the Brewers was any indication, he’s only getting better. He has the tools to shut down a productive Rockies order – especially being that one of its catalysts, Cron – hasn’t had the best go of it in unfamiliar digs.
With these MLB picks today, the Padres will benefit from their starter on the hill and continue their roll. They’ll keep pace in the standings at the visitors’ expense. In betting on baseball today, take San Diego to cover this game’s spread.
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