Braves vs. Padres Prediction, Betting Pick, Latest MLB Odds for Sunday Night Baseball
The San Diego Padres will look to continue their undefeated start on Sunday Night Baseball against the Atlanta Braves. Can Nick Pivetta lead the Padres to a four-game sweep over the Braves in primetime tonight in his San Diego debut? Matt MacKay thinks so, and explains why in his Braves vs. Padres prediction and betting pick for Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN.
Matt MacKay - March 30, 2025, 1:13 PM EDT
5 minBraves vs. Padres Prediction, Betting Pick, Latest MLB Odds for Sunday Night Baseball
The first Sunday Night Baseball matchup of the 2025 MLB season features the Atlanta Braves against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park tonight. The Padres are looking to sweep the Braves after opening their season with three straight wins against Atlanta.
The Braves have been competitive in this series but have faltered late in all three games. Atlanta will look to avoid an 0-4 start with 22-year-old pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver on the bump for his second career start on Sunday night. San Diego will trot out Nick Pivetta as their starting pitcher, acquiring him from Boston this offseason.
MLB handicapper Matt MacKay is back with his best best to place on the Atlanta Braves vs. San Diego Padres during Sunday Night Baseball using the latest odds. He's currently 2-0 to start the 2025 MLB season, so make sure to follow Matt's X account for more MLB betting insight and free picks.
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ATLANTA BRAVES VS. SAN DIEGO PADRES ODDS
- Spread: Braves +1 (-148), Padres -1 (+120)
- Moneyline: Braves (+108), Padres (-122)
- Total: Over 8.0 (+102), Under 8.0 (-102)
ATLANTA BRAVES VS. SAN DIEGO PADRES DATE, TIME, AND WHERE TO WATCH
- Date: Sunday, March 30, 2025
- Time: 7:00 PM ET
- How to Watch: ESPN
Click here for latest Braves vs. Padres Odds
Braves vs. Padres Prediction
San Diego's 3-0 start can be attributed to its bullpen performing better than Atlanta's in this series. The Braves have held a lead or been tied with the Padres after the first five innings in all three matchups, yet the Padres have been able to get more production out of their lineup down the stretch.
Pivetta faced Atlanta twice with Boston as a starter in 2024 with mixed results. His first start against the Braves last year resulted in a 5-0 loss on the road. Pivetta allowed seven hits, five runs, and three home runs in 4.1 innings pitched. Only one strikeout was recorded during his time on the bump.
Fast forward to his second matchup against Atlanta a month later and Pivetta played a much better game. He helped shutout the Braves in a 9-0 win, allowing just one hit with nine strikeouts in seven innings. It's going to be interesting to see how Pivetta performs with his new team during his first start of the season, especially against a Braves lineup that mostly resembles what he faced in both starts with Boston last year.
Smith-Shawver is about as green as a pitcher can be on Sunday Night Baseball. The 22-year-old only managed one start under his belt in 2024 but it was a quality outing, pitching five innings and limiting the Chicago Cubs to three hits and zero runs, with four strikeouts. San Diego's lineup is loaded with talent, including star hitter Fernando Tatis, so it's going to be a difficult assignment for Smith-Shawver on Sunday night.
It's tempting to bet on Atlanta to cover the run line at +0.5 during the first 5 innings against San Diego. They've managed to do this in all three games played in Petco Park thus far. However, I'm expecting the Padres hitters to bounce-back from a lackluster performance against the Braves on Saturday, scoring only one run in the seventh inning in a 1-0 victory.
Pivetta is a bit of a wild card based on his two completely different performances against Atlanta last season. However, he's got 178 starts compared to Smith-Shawver's six career starts. The Braves' pitcher recorded five starts in 2023 with Atlanta but had a 4.26 ERA with 17 hits and seven home runs in 25.1 innings pitched.
San Diego has a better lineup than Atlanta in my opinion, plus they also have the pitching edge on their side. Let's bet a unit on the Padres First 5 Innings Moneyline, as I expect them to get off to a better start against the Braves on Sunday Night Baseball. If it's tied after five innings, like we've seen in two of these three games, then we'll push and get our stake returned.
Braves vs. Padres PICK
- Pick: Padres First 5 Innings Moneyline (-135) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best price on Braves vs. Padres odds
MLB ODDS
