Padres vs Braves Baseball Picks
The Padres had a rare offensive explosion last night in Chicago scoring double-digit runs for just the third time all season long. I don’t want to pick a wound but that is about how many runs they usually score in a week…maybe.
San Diego Padres (45-56) vs. Atlanta Braves (55-47)
Friday July 25
Turner Field – Atlanta, GA
7:35PM
Probable Pitchers
SD: Jesse Hahn (R)
ATL: Alex Wood (L)
Moneyline: Atlanta -162, San Diego +149
Total: 7
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San Diego
San Diego is a terrible offensive team ranking dead last in runs per game, batting average and OPS. Seth Smith is the only regular batting better than .500 and most of their best hitters, at least by reputation are hurt.
It is a real shame because their pitching has been so good.
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Rookie Jesse Hahn is making a statement that he is ready for the Majors. In 7 starts for the Padres he actually has a winning record, 5-2, which is tough to do considering how much the team has struggled this season.
His ERA is small, just 2.21, but even more impressive is that his BAA is only .185, and that it without the luxury of getting to pitch to his own teammates.
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Odds are there is some regression but he looks pretty ready so far.
Atlanta
The Braves have slipped behind the Nationals in the NL East but this weekend is the perfect time to make up some ground with the Padres coming to town. It might not be as easy as it sounds because the Braves offense has been out of sync most of the season and San Diego is one of the better pitching teams in the league.
They have already jettisoned Dan Uggla and you have to wonder if B.J. Upton might not be too far behind. Even Freddie Freeman, who is enjoying a nice year is off his early pace.
Lefty Alex Wood showed promise last season as a rookie and has done nothing to dissuade that he is not one of the up and coming pitchers in the NL.
The one downside, and a common one for many young pitchers, is that he does not work deep into games.
Still he is coming off a very strong outing in his last start where he gave up just 3 hits and 1ER over 6 innings in beating the Phillies.
There is little value backing Atlanta here and I am not totally sure I feel comfortable going with Hahn and the Padres, even though I like the payoff. I hate unders but that seems like the smart play Friday night.
Especially given the Padres erupted last night which almost never happens.
I would definitely bet against that happening again.
Total prediction: Under
Score prediction: Atlanta 3 – San Diego 2