Baltimore Orioles vs San Diego Padres Picks and Predictions July 26th 2024

Fresh Off No-Hitter, Padres Head to Baltimore

The San Diego Padres are on a hot streak entering the series opener against the host Baltimore Orioles on Friday. The Padres should arrive on a high after Dylan Cease’s no-hitter Thursday afternoon at Washington gave San Diego its fifth straight victory. Cease walked three and struck out nine in a 3-0 win over the Nationals.

“The defense made their plays, and that was magnificent,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said.

Padres’ Road Trip

Despite the rain-interrupted game and postgame celebration regarding Cease’s feat, the Padres had just a short trip to make in advance of the series in Baltimore, where they will finish a nine-game road trip.

Orioles Seeking Consistency

The Orioles are coming off a 3-3 trip following the All-Star break. They snapped a three-game skid on Thursday with a 7-6, 10-inning victory over the Miami Marlins, recovering after they squandered a six-run lead.

“I think our guys are very, very aware that we should have won that game handily,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “I think there are some guys who are individually frustrated with their performance right now. We just have to get back to a team concept.”

Orioles’ Homestand

The opener of the three-game series on Friday begins Baltimore’s seven-game, six-day homestand.

“Our clubhouse has all the belief in the world,” Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser said. “We’re going to pick each other up. We’re going to go out and give our best every single day.”

Orioles’ Offensive Struggles

The Orioles feel they should be hitting their stride more often as they try to maintain their status as one of the best teams in the big leagues.

“It’s just that we’re not putting it all together at the same time right now,” Hyde said.

Cowser, who smacked a three-run homer on Thursday, is 8-for-20 during a six-game hitting streak.

“I’m not trying to overthink anything,” he said.

Pitching Matchup: Rodriguez vs. Mazur

Baltimore will send right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (12-4, 3.83 ERA) to the mound, who has won four of his past five starts. That includes a six-inning stint on Saturday at Texas, where he allowed two runs on three hits while striking out eight and walking two. Last year as a rookie, Rodriguez picked up a win by logging seven innings and giving up one run at San Diego.

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The Padres will recall Adam Mazur (1-3, 7.84 ERA) from Triple-A El Paso to make the Friday start. The freshman right-hander last contributed the majors on July 9, when he assumed a misfortune against the Seattle Sailors subsequent to yielding five runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. Mazur, who will go against Baltimore interestingly, has something special after Stop’s pearl.

“To have the option to make it happen and go out and encounter it, I really don’t actually have any idea how to feel,” Stop said. “Simply cheerful.”

Padres’ New Protective Strength

Counting a misfortune at Cleveland to start the post-break record, four of the beyond six San Diego games finished in shutouts. The Padres have allowed a total of four runs in their five-game series of wins.

Conclusion

As the Padres head into Baltimore, they convey huge energy from their new victories, including Dylan Stop’s no-hitter. With a solid cautious record and an ongoing series of wins, they hope to proceed with their predominance. In the interim, the Orioles expect to track down consistency and capitalize on their home benefit. The series guarantees invigorating matchups, especially with promising pitchers like Grayson Rodriguez and Adam Mazur taking the hill. The two teams have a lot to demonstrate as they explore the final part of the time.