The San Diego Padres will head east to square off against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. This NL matchup gets underway at 7:05 p.m. ET and fans can watch the game on both ATPT and FSSD.
San Diego Padres at Pittsburgh Pirates Odds
Pittsburgh (-160) is favored over San Diego (+150) and Vegas has set the Over/Under for this game at 8.5 runs (-115 for the over and -105 for the under). You can also bet on the games spread with the runline odds sitting at Padres +1.5 runs (-145) and Pirates +-1.5 runs (+125).
The Pirates are 25-17 SU and 22-19 ATS. The teams gained 5.6 units for bettors taking the moneyline and 4.5 units against the spread (ATS). Pittsburgh has covered the spread four times in its last seven games and the total has gone over in four of those seven. The Padres have gone 17-27 SU this year and are 20-24 ATS. In total, the teams lost 5.1 units for bettors taking the moneyline in this young season and 10.9 units ATS. San Diegohas covered the spread five times in its last seven games and the total has gone under in five of those seven.
Pittsburgh games have a 21-15-5 over/under record thus far in 2018. The Padres have an over/under record of 19-23-2.
Eric Lauer is projected to start for San Diego. Lauer is 1-2 with an 8.27 ERA and 15 strikeouts. He has yet to face the Pirates this year and did not record a start against them in 2017, either.
The Pirates will send righty Chad Kuhl (4-2, 4.17 ERA) to the mound. Kuhl has 42 strikeouts and 16 walks to his credit, as well as a 1.35 WHIP. Kuhl only made one start against the Padres in 2017 (0-0, 3.38 ERA and four strikeouts across 5.1 innings).
As a unit, Pittsburgh’s pitching staff has given up 4.3 runs per game overall in 2018. Its starting pitching staff has a 4.07 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 3.97 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 9.9 K/9.
The Pittsburgh offense is putting up 5.0 runs per outing, including 6.1 per game over its last 10 games and 5.4 per game over its last five. The team has a slash-line of .277/.378/.528 over its last five contests and is 4-1 SU during that span.
The Pirates offense has been led by catcher Francisco Cervelli and right fielder Starling Marte. Cervelli is slashing .302/.415/.566 with six home runs, 24 RBIs and 15 runs scored, and Marte’s line is .308/.366/.503 with six homers, 19 RBIs, 30 runs and 10 stolen bases.
Compared to his overall season slash line of .275/.333/.379, Marte performed well at home last season, producing .322/.396/.477 across 169 plate appearances.
In the visiting dugout, San Diego’s pitchers have allowed 4.7 runs per game and its starters own a 4.89 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 8.71 K/9. The bullpen has logged an ERA of 3.23, along with a K-per-9 of 9.73.
Padres hitters have slashed .228/.301/.365 on their way to 3.7 runs scored per game in 2018, including 3.1 runs per game over the teams last 10 games and 4.0 per game over the teams last five outings (3-2 SU).
First baseman Eric Hosmer and third baseman Christian Villanueva have led San Diego’s hitters. Hosmer is slashing .270/.369/.487 with six home runs, 16 RBIs and 20 runs scored, while Villanueva (.238/.316/.525) has produced 10 homers, 22 RBIs and 18 runs scored.
The Padres have lost 4.8 units and are 14-15 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher this season. The overs hit in 11 of those games, compared to 16 that’ve hit the under against ies.
San Diego Padres vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Pirates, ATS Winner – Padres, O/U – OVER
Betting Notes
- The Padres have won three of their last four games SU while the Pirates have won seven of their last eight SU.
- Pittsburgh has posted 24.7 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 outings and 23.0 over its last five.
- The Padres have hit five home runs in their last 10 games, including three over their last five.
