Prior to Friday, the Brewers had won 15 of their previous 24 games. The Padres had lost 13 of their last 24 outings. However, it was San Diego that came out on top last night, eking out a 2-0 road win. Now, these National League contenders are set to face off once again in Milwaukee. Which side has the edge going into game two of this weekend series? Below, I’ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Saturday’s showdown between the Padres and the Brewers.
Milwaukee enters tonight as slight favorites (-119) over San Diego, with the over/under set at 8.5 runs. Let’s break down which side has the edge on DraftKings Sportsbook going into Saturday’s contest.
Padres at Brewers prediction, preview
Despite Friday’s victory, the Padres haven’t looked great at the dish recently. Since May 20th, San Diego has recorded a batting average of .215; only the Rangers (.196) have been worse. During that time, several of the team’s best bats have struggled. That includes Fernando Tatis Jr. (.159 batting average), Xander Bogaerts (.204), and Jackson Merrill (.224). Other than Manny Machado (.340), no lineup regular has hit above .260 over the past two weeks. Last night, the third baseman accounted for half of San Diego’s runs with his eighth-inning homer.
It’s been a much different story for the Brewers, arguably the league’s hottest team. Going back to May 20th, Milwaukee has scored the second-most runs in baseball (85). The Brew Crew have also been solid on the mound, posting the sixth-lowest ERA (3.32) over the past 30 days. Tonight, it’ll be veteran Jose Quintana on the bump against the Padres. Through seven outings, the 36-year-old owns a 2.77 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. During his previous three meetings with San Diego, the former All-Star has notched a minuscule 1.53 ERA.
The visiting Padres will hand the ball to Stephen Kolek, making his seventh start of the year. So far, the 28-year-old has impressed, logging a respectable 3.47 ERA to go with a 1.24 WHIP. The second-year pro will have to navigate a Milwaukee lineup slashing .235/.315/.367 against right-handers this season. All three of those marks rank inside the bottom ten in baseball. In his most recent outing vs. the Giants on Monday, Kolek tossed 5.2 scoreless innings.
Padres at Brewers pick, best bet
Best Bet: Padres ML (-103)
These two clubs have been going in opposite directions recently. However, it’s only a matter of time until San Diego turns things around. Quintana should perform well on Saturday, but Kolek is more than capable of delivering as well. The Friars have also won four of their last five matchups with the Brewers. At near-even money, the Padres could offer massive value to bettors as road dogs.
