Arizona Diamondbacks vs. San Diego Padres Prediction: Can You Expect Runs in the Desert?

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. San Diego Padres Prediction: Can You Expect Runs in the Desert?

It's the first Saturday of the season, and what better than sitting back and watching some ball. The night slate features the third matchup in a four-game series between the San Diego Padres and the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks took the first on a walk-off home run from Seth Beer, and then the Padres evened the series last night with the help of a no-hitter through seven innings from Sean Manaea. Today, Joe Musgrove will take the mound for the Padres and Zach Davies for the Diamondbacks. Who will take the third meeting in this series?

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Diamondbacks vs. Padres Start Time, Where to Watch, and Odds

• Date: April 9, 2022
• Game Time: 2:15 pm ET
• Where to Watch: MLB.TV

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Diamondbacks vs. Padres Over/Under Movement

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. San Diego Padres Prediction

The Diamondbacks entered the season without many expectations but have looked good over their first two games, thanks to good pitching performances. The offense hasn't looked up to par yet, but that's because they had to face two aces in Yu Darvish and Sean Manaea. They face another great starter in Joe Musgrove, but the Diamondbacks have faced him before, and Musgrove gave up six earned runs in five innings in his last visit to Chase Field. The Diamondback's bats have been quiet over their first two, except that big ninth inning in their first game. I don't expect them to be this stagnant the entire series, and I expect them to have a little more success tonight against a pitcher they have hit well off before.

The weather also is a noticeable factor in this contest. It will be a hitter's environment at Chase Field tonight, with winds blowing slightly out and hot weather in the 90s. Baseball is the sport where weather matters most. Cold weather can kill balls in the air, and vice versa, for hot weather that can carry balls. Tonight's conditions will be in the hitter's favor, which helps out our over.

The Padres will look to have a much better season than their 79-83 season last year, and they'll have to do it without their top hitter Fernando Tatis Jr. for the first two months. The star shortstop suffered a wrist injury in the preseason and will be out for at least sixty days. The bats for the Padres have also started cold, but they have a prime opportunity to turn that around against Zach Davies. Davies had a 6.48 ERA at home last year and is not a pitcher that scares many in the rotation. He also has a 9.47 ERA in April, perhaps needing the first month to settle into the season. This is a prime spot for the Padres to get their bats going.

The total is telling today. There have only been nine combined runs between both teams in the first two games, yet the total for tonight's game is higher than both those games. The total was 9 on Thursday and 8.5 yesterday, and after both games going well under the total, the line has jumped to 9.5 today. I think the books know this game is set up for more runs today with the pitching matchup and weather. This is both teams' worst starter of the series so far taking the mound tonight. I expect the bats to wake up tonight with these conditions and for tonight to break double-digit runs.

Diamondbacks vs. Padres Pick

• Over 9.5 Runs (+100) (Bet $100 to Win $100)

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