Miami Marlins vs. San Diego Padres Prediction: Will the Marlins Drop a 7th Straight Game?

Miami Marlins vs. San Diego Padres Prediction: Will the Marlins Drop a 7th Straight Game?

The Miami Marlins sure are a streaky bunch. Miami won a season-high seven straight games but has followed that up with a current six-game losing streak. However, it is not like Miami has been non-competitive in those games, as the last five of those six losses have been by one run. That includes the first two games of this current series against the San Diego Padres, where the Padres have won two pitchers’ duels, 2-1 and 3-2.

Can Miami end its losing ways and start a streak of the right kind, or will San Diego continue to stifle the Marlins offense?

Read on for our best play in tonight’s third game of the Marlins-Padres series.

Bet $5, Win $200 if the Marlins or Padres Win

Miami Marlins vs. San Diego Padres Prediction

The Miami Marlins rank 25th with a .596 OPS against left-handed pitching. That spells trouble against Padres starter Sean Manaea (2-2, 3.60), who has made quality starts in four of five appearances. Manaea has allowed nine earned runs in his previous 11 innings, but we like him to get on track against a Marlins lineup that has been held to four or fewer runs in eight of the last ten games.

Miami’s Pablo Lopez (3-1, 1.29) entered his fifth start with a league-best 0.39 ERA and had a 17.1-scoreless inning streak. However, we should have seen the regression coming in hindsight, as Lopez allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits in 4.2 innings in a loss to the Diamondbacks. That start raised Lopez’s ERA by almost a full run, and he now must prove he can bounce back from that start against a top-three offense in the National League on the road. 

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One player he will have to deal with is the red-hot Manny Machado, who has looked every bit like the MVP of the league through the team’s first 27 games. Machado was San Diego’s only offense in the series opener, as his two solo home runs (the 31st multi-home run of the game) were all the Padres needed. Machado’s RBI single yesterday also proved to be the winning run, and he has now hit safely in ten of the last 11 games, going 19-for-43 (.442) in that span. His 1.115 OPS ranks second in the majors to only Mike Trout, and his .382 batting average is tops, with teammate Eric Hosmer (.371) right behind him.

Those intrigued by backing the favorites are getting a reasonable price, as the Padres have lost Manaea’s last two starts. However, the Padres have won eight of their last ten, and with Miami’s struggles against lefties, we like San Diego to emerge victoriously.

Miami Marlins vs. San Diego Padres Pick

• PICK: San Diego Padres ML (-130) (Bet $130 to win $100)