To cap off a loaded 15-game MLB slate on Friday, the San Diego Padres host the Kansas City Royals in one of the final contests within the night-game window. This action out on the West Coast looks like a chance for either side to reclaim some much-needed momentum, so it should be one worth tuning in for.
Here’s a Padres vs. Royals prediction and pick on DraftKings Sportsbook for the action.
Padres vs. Royals prediction, preview
San Diego Padres
The Padres were the latest team to join the 40-win club last night with a 5-3 win over the Dodgers, though they fell three games to one in that series overall. The Friars are in a bit of a rough patch with a 3-7 record across their last 10 games as they remain third in the NL West behind those same Dodgers and the Giants. It’s a very competitive division, so that should end up a dogfight as the season continues.
Their offense has absolutely underperformed overall this year at 13th in AVG, 20th in OPS, and 19th in runs scored. It feels as though every time the Padres begin to figure things out, they get punched back down and go on another mini-slump before stringing together a couple of good games to bounce back. With a pitching staff inside the top-12 in ERA, WHIP, strikeouts and walks, this team truly still possesses contender potential… if they can get the bats firing on a consistent basis.
Kansas City Royals
Meanwhile, the Royals aren’t having the campaign they anticipated as they fight to get back above the .500 mark. The team sits 37-38 on the year and 4-6 over the last 10 games, good for fourth place in the AL Central.
The Kansas City batting order struggles from even more inconsistency at 16th in AVG but 26th in OPS. It’s pretty surprising they’re even near the .500 mark given their lack of scoring ability — the Royals are second-to-last in runs (253) and home runs (53). The pitching staff does look amazing overall, ranking inside the top-five teams in ERA, WHIP and walks allowed. They’re also 15th in strikeouts, so much like the Padres, Kansas City could be great if their bats ever came around.
Padres vs. Royals pick, best bet
DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Padres as -149 favorites to win on the Moneyline. The visiting Royals are +122 themselves to win outright with a pretty low run total of 7.5.
Right-handed stud Nick Pivetta starts for San Diego tonight with a 3.40 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 88 punchouts across 79.1 innings. In 14 games, he boasts a 7-2 record. Kansas City starter Michael Lorenzen, another righty, has a 4.91 ERA, 1.36 EHIP, and 65 strikeouts in 77.0 innings this season. In his 14 appearances, Lorenzen’s record sits at 4-7.
While the Padres haven’t played very well of late, Pivetta gives them the upper hand tonight in terms of pitching matchup. He looks much better lately than Lorenzen, whose ERA over the last seven games sits at 5.59. Opposing batters also hit .263 against the Royals’ starter, so this presents something of a get-right spot for San Diego. Plus, Lorenzen’s 1.64 HR/9 leaves him a little vulnerable to the long ball, although the Padres haven’t connected on many this year relative to top offenses.
Overall, it just feels like an opportunity for the Friars to take a win at home and look to build momentum as the series continues over the coming days.
