San Diego Padres vs. Arizona Diamondbacks Prediction: Can Michael Wacha, Padres Get Back on Track?
San Diego Padres vs. Arizona Diamondbacks prediction and pick. The Padres had lofty expectations for the season but have gotten off to an inauspicious start through their first 20 games. Can the Padres get back on track tonight in Arizona? Let’s break it down.
Joey Ruiz - April 20, 2023, 5:47 PM EDT
3 minSan Diego Padres vs. Arizona Diamondbacks Prediction: Can Michael Wacha, Padres Get Back on Track?
The Padres have all-stars littered throughout their lineup and really have four players that could contend for an MVP award in Juan Soto, Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, and likely their best player Fernando Tatís Jr. Tatis will make his long-awaited debut tonight against Arizona after serving an 80-game suspension for PEDs and boy do the Padres need his offensive firepower in their lineup.
Padres vs. Diamondbacks Start Time and Where to Watch
- Date: Thursday, April 20, 2023
- Game Time: 9:40 pm ET
- Where to Watch: ESPN+
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San Diego Padres vs. Arizona Diamondbacks Prediction
The Padres are currently ranked 28th in team batting average, 24th in runs scored, and 21st in on-base percentage. Not great numbers for nearly a fantasy lineup with the amount of money they have paid for a lot of these star players.
Tatis should make his debut tonight and I believe it will inject a ton of energy into this Padres squad. They have a tough task in front of them with an upstart Diamondbacks team, who have turned a lot of heads thus far with their impressive start to the season. Arizona comes into this home series with the Padres with a record of 11-8 and is currently in 1st place in a loaded NL West.
The Diamondbacks have been getting it done with speed and a high contact rate as they are currently 7th in the league in team batting average and are averaging nearly one stolen base per game so far as a team.
Arizona faces Michael Wacha tonight who has some interesting splits so far in his three starts. Wacha absolutely shoved against the Braves in Atlanta. The Braves are arguably the best team in baseball, but then he got hit extremely hard in two home starts against the Brewers and Rockies as he allowed 11 total earned runs in just 10 1/3rd innings.
Wacha should have a much better start tonight with his power sinker which may be his most important pitch. In his two starts against MIL and COL where he got hammered, he gave up 28 fly balls to just 12 ground balls. In his lights-out start against the Braves it was 6 ground balls, 4 fly balls and 10 strikeouts as he had his changeup working extremely well off that sinker. This is a solid buy-low spot on Wacha and a reeling Padres squad and I am rolling with PADRES F5 ML at -132 for 1U as my MOST CONFIDENT MLB Play of the Day for tonight’s action.
San Diego Padres vs. Arizona Diamondbacks Pick
- PICK: Padres F5 ML (-132) Get these odds at DraftKings now
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