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After spending their first two series of the season on the road, the Atlanta Braves will celebrate Opening Day at Truist Park when they take on the San Diego Padres. First pitch is set for 7:20 p.m. ET.
The Braves are -145 moneyline favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook, while the Padres are +125 favorites. The total sits at 8.
Padres-Braves picks: Thursday, April 6th
Injury report
Padres
Out: SP Joe Musgrove (fractured big toe), OF Adan Engel (left hamstring strain), RP Drew Pomeranz (flexor tendon surgery), RP Robert Suarez (right elbow inflammation)
Braves
Out: SP Max Fried (strained left hamstring), SP Michael Soroka (right hamstring tightness)
Starting pitchers
Blake Snell (0-1, 6.23 ERA) vs. Spencer Strider (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Snell takes the hill for his second start of the year after he allowed 4 1/3 innings in an Opening Day loss to the Rockies. That said, Snell got hit with tough luck against the Rockies, as he had an expected batting average of .276 in the start. His fastball wasn’t the best (he allowed all six hits off the pitch), but had top-tier breaking stuff, as he recorded four strikeouts with his curveball and one with his changeup.
Strider’s Opening Day start was more of the same for the third-year hurler as he held the Nationals scoreless over six innings in his first start of the season. His fastball sat between 97 and 98 mph, and his slider looked as nasty as ever.
Over/Under pick
While tonight’s game features two solid starting pitchers, I’m taking the over just because there’s a chance things could get messy as the game goes on thanks to the Padres’ bullpen, which has the fourth-worst bullpen ERA (5.95) in baseball. There should be lots of late-inning runs in this matchup.
Pick: Over 8
Moneyline pick
Snell was up to the challenge for the first four innings against the Rockies before he stumbled in the start of the fifth and was pulled, with reliever Nabil Crismatt giving up a three run home run to C.J. Cron that staked two additional runs to Snell’s ledger. He should be able to go pitch for pitch with Strider, but the Braves offense will be able to scratch a run or two across against the Padres’ comprised ‘pen.
Pick: Braves