Houston Astros vs
San Diego PadresPredictions & Preview

Astros vs Padres: Houston leads AL West as they prepare to face San Diego with rookie pitcher Spencer Arrighetti starting against veteran Yu Darvish

The Houston Astros are currently leading the AL West with a record of 81-68 as they prepare to face the San Diego Padres. Rookie right-hander Spencer Arrighetti will be starting for the Astros, coming off a recent no-decision against the Oakland Athletics. The Padres, who are in second place in the NL West with an 85-65 record, will have veteran righty Yu Darvish on the mound. Darvish is coming off a victory over the Seattle Mariners in his last outing. The betting favorite for this game is San Diego, opening at -137 and currently sitting at -115.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Astros +104 | Padres -115
• Spread: Astros +1.5 (-200) | Padres -1.5 (+170)
• Total: Over/Under 8 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that San Diego will win straight-up is 53%.

Houston vs San Diego Stats

Houston Astros

The Houston Astros have been performing exceptionally well offensively, ranking eighth in the league with a .741 team OPS and 11th with 176 total home runs. Designated hitter Yordan Alvarez has been a standout player with a .961 OPS, 34 home runs, 84 RBI, 83 runs scored, and six steals. On the pitching side, Spencer Arrighetti has struggled this season, ranking poorly in various metrics. He will be making his first start against the Padres. The team is currently dealing with several injuries, with multiple pitchers out due to various ailments. Despite this, Houston is ranked 12th in offense, fifth in defense, and has a season record of 80-68, ranking 10th in power rankings.

San Diego Padres Analysis

The San Diego Padres have been performing strongly in hitting, ranking seventh in Major League Baseball with a .744 team OPS and averaging 4.77 runs per game. However, they need to improve their walk drawing as they are tied for 22nd place in total walks. Left fielder Jurickson Profar has been a standout player with a .837 OPS, 22 homers, 82 RBI, 85 runs scored, and nine stolen bases. On the pitching side, Yu Darvish has been struggling this season based on his metrics, but his sweeper pitch has been effective against hitters. There are some key injuries on the Padres' side, with several players listed as out. Overall, the Padres have a power ranking of 12 and have shown strength in both offense and defense, with a record of 84-65. They will face the Houston Astros in their next matchup, who have recently gone 1-2 against the Padres.

Yu Darvish set to face Houston Astros in 16th career start against team

Yu Darvish has a long history of facing the Houston team, with this upcoming game marking his 16th start against them. Throughout his career, Darvish has accumulated a 5-5 record, maintaining a 3.64 ERA and an impressive total of 123 strikeouts in 94.0 innings against this opponent. Analyzing the offensive capabilities of both teams, it is evident that there is a significant contrast in their performance based on their home/road splits. While Houston ranks 11th in MLB with a .720 OPS and scores an average of 4.41 runs per game on the road, San Diego stands at 11th place with a .734 OPS and averages 4.44 runs per game at Petco Park this season. Considering these factors, it is recommended to support the San Diego Padres in securing a home victory to kick off the series.

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