San Diego Padres vs
Tampa Bay RaysPredictions & Preview

San Diego Padres Face Tampa Bay Rays in Exciting Weekend Matchup at Tropicana Field

This weekend, the MLB will feature an exciting matchup between the San Diego Padres and the Tampa Bay Rays. The Padres, with a record of 76-60, will be sending Martin Perez to the mound, while the 66-67 Rays will counter with Taj Bradley. The game is set for 6:50 ET at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL. The Rays are currently favored to win, with the opening line at -123 and the current line at -122.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Padres +107 | Rays -122
• Spread: Padres +1.5 (-191) | Rays -1.5 (+167)
• Total: Over/Under 7.5 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Tampa Bay will win straight-up is 55%.

San Diego vs Tampa Bay Stats

San Diego Padres

San Diego has been performing well in the second half of the season, winning 26 out of their last 35 games. However, they recently dropped their last two games against St. Louis, resulting in a series split. This puts the Padres at 76-70 for the season, 4.5 games behind the first-place Dodgers in the National League West. They still hold the middle wild card spot, with a 1.5-game lead over the third-place Braves and a 5.0-game lead over the Mets. Despite a 4-1 defeat in their last game, rookie Jackson Merrill hit a solo home run and is a strong contender for the National League Rookie of the Year award. Martin Perez will start the next game for the Padres, with a 1-0 record and 2.70 ERA in his four previous starts. San Diego is currently ranked 10th in power rankings, the 11th in offense, and 12th in defense, averaging 4.76 runs scored and 4.25 runs allowed per game.

Tampa Bay Rays Analysis

The Tampa Bay Rays are currently 66-67 and sit 11.5 games out of first in the A.L. East. They are also chasing 6.0 games in the wild-card race and have odds of +1800 to make the playoffs. Despite their recent struggles, the Rays have the second-toughest schedule in the league. In their most recent games, the Rays went 4-6 on a west coast road trip, including dropping two out of three against the Mariners. Taj Bradley will be starting on Friday, with a record of 6-8 and a 3.77 ERA. The Rays are ranked 22nd in terms of power and are ranked 28th offensively, scoring an average of 3.82 points per game. Defensively, they are ranked 14th, giving up an average of 4.29 points per game. They recently faced the San Diego Padres, going 1-2 in their last three matchups.

San Diego Padres Maintain Strong Performance Despite Recent Losses, While Tampa Bay Rays Struggle

Despite dropping their last two games, the San Diego Padres have maintained a strong performance overall, winning 26 of their last 35 games. The opportunity to receive a positive payout with San Diego is appealing given their recent success. One significant acquisition the Padres made was bringing in Martin Perez, a left-handed pitcher who has showcased outstanding performance with a 2.70 ERA in five starts. Notably, San Diego has achieved a flawless 5-0 record in games where Perez has pitched. On the other hand, the Tampa Bay Rays have struggled recently, with a 1-3 record in their last four games and a lackluster offensive output. Given the Padres' strong performance and the Rays' recent struggles, it seems prudent to favor the former in this matchup.

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