The Tampa Bay Rays (66-67) are set to battle the San Diego Padres (76-60) in the second game of a three-game interleague series at Tropicana Field on Saturday afternoon. The matchup is scheduled to start at 4:10 PM ET, and the Rays are looking to secure their second straight home series victory.
Shane Baz, who holds a record of 1-2 with a 3.48 ERA, will take the mound for Tampa Bay, while the Padres will counter with Randy Vasquez, boasting a 4-6 record and a 4.52 ERA. The historical performance favors the Rays, who are 7-3 in their last ten encounters with the Padres.
**Note: This preview was prepared prior to Friday’s game.**
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San Diego Aiming for Wildcard Redemption
The Padres have faced a challenging week, not gaining ground in the National League playoff race after splitting series with both the Mets and Cardinals. Currently, they sit second in the NL Wildcard standings, trailing the Diamondbacks by one game. A win on Saturday could put them in a tie for the wildcard lead.
San Diego’s offense has been strong, averaging 4.73 runs per game and leading the league with a .265 batting average. They rank sixth in on-base percentage at .325 and hold an 11th place in slugging with .417. Jackson Merrill stands out with a .291 batting average, while Manny Machado contributes significantly with 22 home runs, and Jurickson Profar leads with 80 RBIs.
Defensively, the Padres have held their opponents to an average of 3.90 runs per game. Their opponents are batting .243 against them, placing them 18th in the league. Their 3.96 ERA ranks 14th, and they have a WHIP of 1.24, good for 11th. In his previous outing, Vasquez allowed six hits and two runs over six innings, leading to a 7-4 victory against the Phillies. A repeat performance will be crucial for their chances of winning.
Tampa Bay Looking to Recover at Home
The Rays are coming off a disappointing 10-game road trip, managing only four wins and losing three of their last four games. However, they have shown improvement at home recently, winning four of their last seven contests at Tropicana Field. They aim to build on this momentum with a solid performance against San Diego.
Tampa Bay’s offense has struggled, averaging 3.82 runs per game and ranking 28th in the league with a .230 batting average. Their on-base percentage of .305 is 24th, and their slugging percentage of .369 also places them 28th. Yandy Diaz leads the team with a .273 batting average and 57 RBIs, while Jose Siri has contributed the most home runs with 17.
On the pitching side, the Rays have been effective, allowing 3.87 runs per game. Opponents have a .240 batting average against Tampa Bay, ranking them 15th. They hold an 11th place in ERA at 3.90 and a solid WHIP of 1.22, coming in sixth. In his last appearance, Baz delivered an impressive performance, allowing no runs and just three hits over seven innings, leading to a 1-0 win against the Athletics. A repeat of this outing will be essential for their success.
Key Betting Insights for Padres vs. Rays
The Padres have recently won three of their last five games, contrasting with the Rays, who have lost three of their last four. San Diego’s offense has been far more productive, tallying 18 runs in their last four games compared to Tampa Bay’s mere seven. The Padres have consistently performed well against right-handed pitchers, and with Baz’s recent struggles on the mound, this trend is likely to continue.
Furthermore, the Rays have had difficulty generating runs against right-handers, while Vasquez has shown resilience in his recent starts, allowing only six runs across his last three outings. With Tampa Bay’s bullpen facing challenges as of late, they may find it difficult to contain the Padres’ offense. Based on current form, San Diego is favored to cover the money line.
