Tampa Bay Rays vs
San Diego PadresPredictions & Preview

San Diego Padres Look to Continue Home Dominance Against Tampa Bay Rays

On Friday night, the Tampa Bay Rays (10-14) will be looking to take the series lead as they face the San Diego Padres (17-8) at Petco Park in the first game of their three-game interleague series at 9:40 PM. ET. Shane Baz, with a record of 2-0 and a 2.33 ERA, will start for the Rays, while Michael King, with a record of 3-0 and a 2.57 ERA, will start for the Padres. San Diego is currently 5-4 in their last nine games against Tampa Bay. The Padres are the betting favorites, opening at -142 with the current line at San Diego -140. Please note that this preview was written before Thursday's game was played.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Rays +122 | Padres -140
• Spread: Rays +1.5 (-185) | Padres -1.5 (+160)
• Total: Over/Under 7 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that San Diego will win straight-up is 58%.

Tampa Bay vs San Diego Stats

Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays were able to break a two-game losing streak with a victory over Arizona in Game 2 of their series. They have won two of their last eight games and will aim to get their season back on track in the finale on Thursday and in their next game on Friday. The team averages 4.25 runs per game, ranking 17th in the league, with a .256 batting average (6th in the league) and a .323 on-base percentage (11th). Jonathan Aranda leads the team with a .338 batting average, Junior Caminero leads in home runs with five, and Brandon Lowe leads in RBI with 13. Defensively, the Rays give up 4.04 runs per game (23rd in the league), with opponents hitting .234 against them (12th). Their ERA is 3.76 (9th) and their WHIP is 1.19 (9th). In his last start, Baz gave up four hits and five runs in 3.1 innings, contributing to a 10-8 win over the Yankees. Tampa Bay currently has a power ranking of 19, ranking 17th in offense, 9th in defense, and holds a 10-14 record for the season.

San Diego Padres Analysis

The San Diego Padres recently experienced a challenging six-game road trip, losing consecutive series to the Astros and Tigers. However, they have been performing exceptionally well at home, winning 12 out of their 13 games. The team will now look to continue this momentum with a win over the Rays.

The Padres have shown strength in their batting, ranking third in the league with a .263 batting average and sixth with a .333 on-base percentage. Fernando Tatis Jr. has been a standout player, leading the team in batting average, home runs, and RBI.

On the defensive end, San Diego has been particularly impressive, giving up an average of 2.96 runs per game, which is second in the league. Opponents have struggled against the Padres, with a .208 batting average against them. In their last matchup against Tampa Bay, the Padres suffered a 3-2 loss, with King posting a 6.38 ERA in 11 games against the Rays.

Overall, the San Diego Padres hold a power ranking of 3 and are ranked #19 for offense and #2 for defense in the league, with an impressive record of 17-8.

San Diego Padres Showcase Dominance at Home as Tampa Bay Rays Struggle on the Road

The San Diego Padres have demonstrated their dominance at home by winning 12 out of their last 13 games, in contrast to the Tampa Bay Rays who have recently struggled on the road with four losses in their last five games. The Padres have a competitive advantage due to their strong performance against right-handed pitchers and the inconsistency of Shane Baz, who has given up eight runs in his last three starts. Furthermore, Tampa Bay's bullpen has also been facing challenges, which will make it difficult for them to contain San Diego's offense.

On the other hand, Tampa Bay may struggle offensively against Padres' pitcher King, who has been solid on the mound, especially at home where he has only allowed three runs in three starts. With the Padres boasting the best bullpen in the league, Tampa Bay's offense will face a tough test. A prudent choice would be to support San Diego on the run line.

Sources: [ 1 ] [ 2 ]