Monday features the first of a three-game series between struggling teams as the Pittsburgh Pirates (43-56) take on the San Diego Padres (48-52).
Both of these teams sit at or near the bottom of their respective divisions and are long shots to make the postseason. Still, with the MLB Trade Deadline rapidly approaching, both will try to get a better sense of whether they will be sellers or buyers.
As you consider your MLB picks, read ahead to get the Pirates vs Padres best bets and predictions for this contest.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs San Diego Padres Odds Breakdown
Before determining the Pirates vs Padres best bets, it is important to look at the MLB odds for this game.
- Moneyline: The Pirates come into this one as the clear underdogs. They are +200 on the moneyline. The Padres are the clear favorites playing at home with odds of -240.
- Spread: In terms of the spread, the Pirates are +1.5, with odds of +105. While the Padres are -1.5 on the spread, with odds of -125.
- Total: The over/under for total runs is 8.5. The odds for the over total runs is -105, while the under 8.5 runs is -115.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. San Diego Padres Information
Pittsburgh Pirates vs San Diego Padres
Location of the game: Petco Park, San Diego, California
Date & Time: July 24, 2023, 9:40 pm ET
Where to watch: MLB.TV | Pirates – Att SportsNet-PIT | Padres – San Diego Padres
Recent Scores
Looking at their recent games, the Pirates are just 3-7 in their last 10 games. On the road this season, they are 20-30. In their last series, the Pirates lost two of three to the Los Angeles Angels on the road. In Sunday’s finale, they lost 7-5. In terms of the Pittsburgh Pirates standings, the Pirates are dead last in the NL Central, 11.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers.
Looking at the San Diego Padres schedule, they are 5-5 in their last 10 MLB games. At Petco Park, the Padres sit at 25-23, entering play on Monday.
Peaking at the NL West standings, the Padres sit in fourth place, 10 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. San Diego Padres Analysis
Can Quinn Priester Be the Game-Changer?
Trying to win the opener, the Pittsburgh Pirates will send 22-year-old righty Quinn Priester to the mound Monday. In his lone MLB outing, he went 5.1 innings, allowing seven earned runs to the Guardians in a loss.
Looking at their MLB teams stats, Pittsburgh ranks 23rd in scoring defense, allowing opponents an average of 4.86 runs per game (4.37 on the road).
Offensively, the Pirates MLB team stats ranks 26th in scoring, averaging just 4.12 runs per game. They are led by outfielder Jack Suwinski, who is hitting just .2223/.345/.496, but leads the team in home runs (20) and runs batted in (51).
The Pirates have gone just 3-11 in their last 14 games and 4-16 in their last 20 road games. Still, they are 4-1 in their last five games against San Diego.
Veteran Ace Yu Darvish is Ready to Dominate!
The Padres will counter with 36-year-old veteran Yu Darvish. Peeking at his MLB player stats, Darvish is 7-6 in 17 starts with a 4.36 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and 105 strikeouts in 97 innings this year.
Statistically, the Padres rank 14th in scoring, averaging 4.58 runs per game; however, they are averaging just 4.13 at home.
In the last couple weeks, Manny Machado has been one of the Padres’ best hitters. In his last 11 games, he leads the team with six home runs and is tied for the most runs batted in over that span with 13. In their last six games, the Padres are 4-2, and they are 5-1 in their last six games played at Petco Park.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. San Diego Padres Betting Pick and Prediction
For our Pirates vs Padres best bets, we will be taking the Padres to win handedly in this one. Not only have the Pirates been one of the worst in baseball on both the offensive and defensive sides, but the Padres have the clear upper hand on the mound with Darvish throwing.
The over 8.5 runs is also an appealing bet. Even though he has been better at home than on the road, Darvish still has a 3.83 ERA at Petco Park. While that is still good enough to take down Pittsburgh, he may still give up enough runs to hit the over 8.5 (-105)
- Pick 1: Take San Diego -1.5 (-125).
- Pick 2: Bet on the Over -105
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