Washington Nationals vs
San Diego PadresPredictions & Preview

Padres to Face Nationals in Close Matchup at Petco Park: Both Teams Aim to Climb Above .500 Mark

The San Diego Padres will face the Washington Nationals at Petco Park on Tuesday evening as both teams aim to climb above the .500 mark. The Nationals, currently in 3rd place in the NL East with a 38-39 record, have won six of their last ten games. The Padres, sitting in 2nd place in the NL West with a 41-41 record, are 8.5 games behind the Dodgers for the top spot. San Diego is favored with a -135 money line, with the total set at 7.5 runs. MacKenzie Gore (ERA: 3.60) will start for the Nationals, while Adam Mazur (ERA: 7.27) will take the mound for the Padres. San Diego opened as -130 betting favorites, but the current line stands at San Diego -107.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Nationals -104 | Padres -107
• Spread: Nationals +1.5 (-212) | Padres -1.5 (+182)
• Total: Over/Under 7.5 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that San Diego will win straight-up is 52%.

Washington vs San Diego Stats

Washington Nationals

The Nationals completed a thrilling comeback against the Colorado Rockies, securing a 2-1 victory with key RBI contributions from Lane Thomas and Joey Meneses. Jacob Young stood out as the only player with multiple hits for Washington. Jake Irvin delivered an impressive performance on the mound, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out ten in six innings. Despite being in a rebuilding phase, the Nationals made strategic signings for the 2024 season, including players like Joey Gallo, Nick Senzel, and Dylan Floro. MacKenzie Gore has been solid but has shown some inconsistency recently, making it crucial for him to regain his form as the team aims for a 2nd wild card spot. With a power ranking of 15, Washington currently sits at #21 in offense, #12 in defense, and holds a 38-40 record for the season.

San Diego Padres Analysis

San Diego Padres lost to the Milwaukee Brewers 6-2, with Luis Arraez being the standout player with multiple hits and an RBI. Michael King struggled as the starting pitcher, giving up five runs. The Padres made significant moves in the offseason, including key free agent signings and trades, but also saw some notable losses. Yu Darvish will start the next game as they aim to improve their record above .500. The team currently has a power ranking of 19 and ranks 13th in offense, averaging 4.48 runs per game. In their last matchup, Washington won two out of three games against San Diego.

Padres Have Edge in Close Matchup with Nationals Due to Strong Bullpen

This matchup between the two teams presents a close contest, with both teams holding similar records and starting pitchers performing consistently. However, the bullpen will likely play a significant role in determining the outcome of the game. Although both starters are expected to pitch around 5-6 innings, the performance of the bullpen could be a deciding factor. The Washington Nationals have struggled with one of the highest bullpen ERAs in the league, while the San Diego Padres have a top ten bullpen unit. The Padres have also been more successful in their recent games, winning four out of their last five, compared to the Nationals' 3-3 record in their last six games. Considering the Padres' stronger bullpen and recent success, they have a slight edge in this matchup.

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