Atlanta Braves vs San Diego Padres Picks and Predictions May 19th 2024

Padres and Yu Darvish, with Extra Day of Rest, Meet Braves

Padres vs. Braves: Yu Darvish’s Streak on the Line

San Diego’s ace, Yu Darvish, is set to put his shutout streak to the test Sunday night, now with an extra day of rest, as the visiting Padres take on the Atlanta Braves in the second game of their four-game series.

Schedule Adjustments and Impact

The game was rescheduled after heavy rain in Atlanta forced a postponement on Saturday. Now, the series will conclude with a day-night doubleheader on Monday at 12:20 p.m. and 6:20 p.m. ET. This is San Diego’s only trip to Atlanta this season, so they’re looking to make the most of it.

Yu Darvish’s Dominant Streak

Darvish (3-1, 2.43 ERA) has been on fire, throwing 18 consecutive scoreless innings over his last three appearances. He’ll face Braves right-hander Bryce Elder (1-1, 4.79 ERA) on Sunday night. The Padres snapped a three-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory in Friday’s series opener, and they’ve won 10 of their last 14 games in Atlanta.

Darvish hasn’t allowed a run since April 14 against the Dodgers. Since then, he’s delivered five scoreless innings against both Cincinnati and the Chicago Cubs, followed by seven scoreless innings in a rematch with the Dodgers.

“I’ve always said he’s the toughest righty I’ve ever faced,” Padres second baseman Xander Bogaerts said. “The guy has like seven, eight pitches. To me, he’s the toughest, with all the pitches he has and different speeds.”

In his most recent start, Darvish dominated the Dodgers, allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out seven, tying his season high.

“The plan was to see how they reacted to the pitches. The fastball was coming out of my hand right, and it was working nicely,” Darvish said after the game. “Obviously, they are a very good team, but taking the series against them gives us confidence moving forward.”

Bryce Elder’s Return and Challenges

Elder is making his fifth start since being called up from Triple-A Gwinnett to replace the injured ace Spencer Strider. He’s had a mixed performance but showed resilience by allowing just two runs in 5 1/3 innings against the Mets last Sunday, bouncing back from a tough outing against the Dodgers where he gave up seven runs in 3 1/3 innings.

“We want to give the guys a chance to get it done at the plate and leave the bullpen in a situation where we can get it done,” Elder said. “As starters, that’s kind of what we’re trying to do week in, week out.”

Elder’s only previous start against the Padres came in 2022, where he allowed two runs over 4 1/3 innings, ending with a 4.15 ERA.

Catching Concerns for the Braves

The doubleheader poses a challenge for Atlanta’s catching situation. Catcher Travis d’Arnaud was sidelined with dizziness after a foul ball hit his mask on Friday, and he’s expected to miss the rest of the series. With Chadwick Tromp as the only available catcher, the Braves might need to make a roster move to add another catcher for Monday’s games.

Conclusion

The series between the Padres and Braves is shaping up to be an exciting showdown. Yu Darvish will look to extend his shutout streak and lead the Padres to another victory. Meanwhile, the Braves hope to overcome their challenges and leverage Bryce Elder’s potential. Fans can expect a thrilling game and a doubleheader that will test both teams’ depth and resilience.