San Diego Padres vs Atlanta Braves Picks and Predictions July 12th 2024

Padres’ Slumping Offense Seeks Answers vs. Braves

Baseball is often described as a funny game, but for the San Diego Padres, it’s been anything but amusing lately. As they prepare to open a three-game series Friday night against the visiting Atlanta Braves, the Padres are in search of solutions to their offensive struggles.

Padres’ Recent Struggles

On July 5, San Diego rallied for a 10-8 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, boosting their record to a season-high six games over .500. However, since then, the Padres have lost four in a row, with their usually potent offense going silent over the past three games. The Padres managed only four runs in that span, most recently getting shut out 2-0 by the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday. They failed to capitalize on a bases-loaded opportunity in the second inning and stranded the tying runs on base in the eighth and ninth innings.

“I was pretty certain we were gonna get a stretch where we faced good teams with good pitching,” San Diego manager Mike Shildt said. “And when you do that, sometimes you just don’t scratch. You know, it’s disappointing.”

The losing streak, coupled with the Mets’ sweep of the Washington Nationals this week, has left San Diego and New York tied for the last National League wild-card spot.

Potential Boost from Bogaerts

The Padres might receive a boost on Friday as Xander Bogaerts is likely to be activated after a short rehab stint in the minors. He has been sidelined since fracturing his left shoulder on May 20. Bogaerts’ return to second base likely means Jake Cronenworth will go back to first base, and Luis Arraez will become the designated hitter most of the time.

Pitching Concerns

The immediate concern for San Diego is an inconsistent pitching staff. On Friday, the Padres will give the ball to Randy Vasquez (2-4, 4.66 ERA). The right-hander is coming off a solid start in the aforementioned win over Arizona, allowing two runs in 6 1/3 innings but getting a no-decision after the bullpen blew a 7-2 lead in the ninth.

Vasquez took a loss against the Braves on May 20, surrendering three runs on 10 hits in six innings. He also started against Atlanta while pitching for the New York Yankees on Aug. 16, absorbing a loss after permitting two runs in 3 1/3 innings.

Braves’ Pitching and Offense

The Braves will begin tenderfoot Spencer Schwellenbach (2-4, 5.02 Period), who keep going pitched on Saturday and aided Atlanta to a 5-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. The right-hander dispersed seven hits more than six innings, permitting one run while hitting out six without any strolls.

“Simply pounding the strike zone,” Schwellenbach said about his methodology. “At the point when you can get the ball to the warm up area with the lead, it’s consistently great.”

Schwellenbach will make his most memorable profession appearance against San Diego, and he expects a similar sort of run help he got Saturday night. Atlanta’s wild offense brought a turn on the drawback Thursday night in a 1-0 misfortune to the Arizona Diamondbacks, constraining the Braves to make due with a split of the four-game series in Phoenix.

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Key Players to Watch

While the Braves haven’t been as predictable on offense as they would like, Marcell Ozuna has been splendid. He had two hits on Thursday, raising his normal to .298, alongside 24 homers and 75 RBIs. Ozuna has logged three successive multi-hit games.

“It’s been extraordinary,” Braves director Brian Snitker said of Ozuna. “It’s simply successes. He’s following through in the grasp generally.”

Conclusion

As the Padres look to pivot their drooping offense and the Braves plan to find consistency, Friday night’s down makes way for a captivating series opener. The two groups have their difficulties, yet with central participants like Xander Bogaerts possibly returning for San Diego and Marcell Ozuna’s hot streak for Atlanta, this matchup vows to be a convincing challenge. San Diego took three of four at Atlanta from May 17-20, and they’ll hope to rehash that accomplishment as they open this vital series.