Two teams projected to appear in the postseason square off in Game 1 of a four-game series beginning on Thursday night. The Atlanta Braves (5-1, 0-0 home) welcome the San Diego Padres (3-3, 0-0 away) to the Peach State.
The first pitch of the series-opener is at 7:20 p.m. EST inside Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are the betting favorite (-165 moneyline), and the over/under total is 7.5 runs.
What to Know – San Diego Padres
The Padres opened up the season at home, splitting a four-game series with the Colorado Rockies as well as a two-game set with the Arizona Diamondbacks. San Diego is playing the first 20 games of the season without star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. Through the first week of the season; the Padres sit in second place in the NL West.
Southpaw Blake Snell (0-1, 6.23 ERA, 1.62 WHIP) is the probable starter for the Padres. Snell was knocked around in his first start of the season, allowing three earned runs on six hits and one walk while striking out nine over 4.1 innings. The 30-year-old was 8-10 with a 3.38 ERA and 171 strikeouts in 128.0 innings of action last year.
Offensively, the Padres have struggled in the early going at the dish, hitting .234 as a team and averaging 4.2 runs per game. San Diego was in the upper half of both categories last season.
The addition of Xander Bogaerts has paid dividends so far for the Padres. Bogaerts is hitting .409 with a .955 slugging percentage over the first six games, with three home runs and seven runs driven in. Juan Soto is just 4-for-21 to begin the year but is second on the team with four RBIs.
What to Know – Atlanta Braves
Atlanta is off to a hot start winning five of its first six games to begin the year. The Braves have done it all on the road, taking two of three from the Washington Nationals and sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals.
Spencer Strider (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP) is expected to toe the rubber for the home team. Strider was in midseason form in his season debut, scattering three hits over six innings while striking out nine. The 24-year-old burst onto the scene last season, posting an 11-5 record and a 2.67 ERA.
