At 75-60, the Padres have their eyes firmly set on a trip to the World Series. That starts with overtaking the hated Dodgers in the NL West; in other words, every game matters. The Twins are firmly in rebuilding mode after selling off several quality pieces during July’s trade deadline. Can Minnesota play spoiler against this contending San Diego squad? Below, I’ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Saturday’s showdown between the Padres and the Twins.
The Padres are favorites (-158) over the Twins, with the over/under set at 8.5 runs. Let’s break down which side has the edge on DraftKings Sportsbook entering tonight’s contest.
Padres vs. Twins prediction, preview
All things considered, San Diego has been one of the more resilient teams in baseball. Despite a slew of star power on their injured list, the Padres are still poised for a playoff berth. The newest name to be added to that list is Xander Boegarts. The shortstop fractured his foot on Friday, ending his season with one month to go. It’s a difficult blow for the Friars, but not insurmountable. Thanks to a sneaky-good pitching staff, this club has a chance on any given day.
In a sport filled with quality arms, Nick Pivetta has flown under the radar. Signed this offseason with little fanfar, the righty has a claim as San Diego’s ace. Just look at the numbers: 2.82 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 161 strikeouts over 153.1 innings. The veteran has been consistent as well, surrendering four or more runs in just five of his 26 appearances. There’s a good chance that continues tonight at Target Field. As previously mentioned, Minnesota shipped off several of its best players at the trade deadline. That leaves Byron Buxton and not much else in this lineup. Unsurprisingly, the Twins have compiled a lackluster 10-16 record this month.
Clearly, the home team can’t count on much production at the plate. That puts even more weight on Taj Bradley, tonight’s starter for Minnesota. The former Rays pitcher has had a shaky 2025 campaign. The right-hander, while talented, has had trouble with his command all season (3.5 BB/9 ratio). During his first start for the Twins last weekend, the 24-year-old coughed up seven runs vs. the White Sox.
A bad start against a bad offense doesn’t bode well heading into Saturday’s matchup. The Padres have been inconsistent at best on offense this season. However, general manager A.J. Preller managed to bring in bats such as Ramon Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn last month. Since August 10th, San Diego has a team OPS of .748, 12th-highest in baseball during that time. Superstars such as Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. could enjoy a big night against the erratic Bradley.
Padres vs. Twins pick, best bet
Best Bet: Padres -1.5 (+104)
San Diego comes into Saturday with plenty on the line. It’s a far different story for the Twins, who have their eyes set on 2026. Considering how prone Bradley is to getting lit up, backing Minnesota as an underdog comes with risk. Look for Pivetta and the Padres to come out firing tonight.
