San Diego Padres vs Houston Astros Picks and Predictions September 16th 2024

The Astros and Padres will face off in an interleague matchup at 9:40 PM ET on Monday. This one is being played at PETCO Park in San Diego, and the Astros are 4-0 in their last four games, while the Padres have won three straight and they are 2nd in the NL West. The money line odds have the Astros at +118 compared to the Padres at -139.

Yu Darvish will be on the mound for the Padres, and he is facing off against a Astros team that is 81-68 and 1st in the AL West. The Astros are starting Spencer Arrighetti. The over/under line is at 8 runs, and the Astros are -183 on the run line compared to the Padres at +150.

Houston vs. San Diego Key Information

Right-hander Spencer Arrighetti gets the start for the Astros today as he faces the Padres on the road. He has made 26 starts this year and has a record of 7-12 with an ERA of 4.72. Arrighetti’s WHIP for the season is 1.42. In his last outing, he finished with a no-decision, going 6 2/3 innings and giving up two earned runs on seven hits. Before that, he had won two straight starts. One of his best outings of the year came on August 28th, when he went 7 2/3 innings without giving up a run. Per nine innings, Arrighetti is averaging 10.8 strikeouts and 4.17 walks.

Yordan Alvarez comes into the game as the Astros’ top hitter this season, batting .308 with a league-leading 34 home runs. He is also 1st on the team with 84 RBIs. However, Alvarez has gone just 6/25 in his last six games, with two homers and four RBIs. Jose Altuve is also a significant power threat for the Astros, as he is batting .301 with 19 homers.

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As a team, the Astros are averaging 4.6 runs per game and are the league’s 3rd best hitting team, with a combined batting average of .262. They are also one of the league’s top home run hitting teams, coming into the game 10th in the league in homers.

Yu Darvish will be looking to build off his last outing, where he faced the Mariners and picked up the win. In that outing, which came on September 10th, he went 5 innings and gave up 2 earned runs. Looking at his overall numbers, Darvish has made 13 starts, and his record for the season is 5-3. The right-hander has an ERA of 3.52 and has issued just 2.39 walks per nine innings compared to 8.72 strikeouts. Darvish has made three quality starts this season. For the year, he has allowed 9 homers. At home, his ERA is 4.99 compared to 2.25 on the road.

San Diego comes into the game as the league’s top hitting team, as they are batting a collective .265. They also have the fewest strikeouts in the league and are 7th in runs scored at 4.8 runs per game. The Padres have been even better on the road, averaging 5.1 runs per game.

Over the team’s last eight games, Luis Arraez has been on fire, going 18/37 (.486) with nine runs scored. He is also on a 13-game hitting streak. For the season, he is batting .322 and is 2nd on the team in RBIs. Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill are the team’s top home run hitters, with 26 and 23 homers, respectively.

Today’s Astros and Padres matchup should feature plenty of offense, as this is projected to be the 2nd highest-scoring game of the day. Our lean would be towards taking the over. As for who is going to take this one straight up, we like the Padres to come out on top. Yu Darvish is 5th among today’s starters in our projections in strikeouts, and we have him finishing with the 4th lowest earned runs allowed total.

Padres Remain ‘On a Mission’ Ahead of Opener vs. Astros

The San Diego Padres are immovably in season finisher dispute and will hope to push their force along as they open a three-game series against the meeting Houston Astros on Monday night. The two groups are falling off end of the week clears that have carried them closer to postseason billets, and the Padres, specifically, stay zeroed in on securing a spot.

San Diego (85-65) has assembled a fruitful stretch, including a 4-1 excursion through Seattle and San Francisco. This achievement has not just cemented the Padres’ situation as the National League’s most memorable wild-card group yet additionally saved them in the chase after the NL West title. A new downturn by the Los Angeles Dodgers has assisted San Diego with shutting the hole to only 3 1/2 games.

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With three games against the Dodgers staying one week from now and San Diego previously possessing the season series sudden death round, the Padres wind up in an excellent position. Their new play, drove by any semblance of Fernando Tatis Jr., has made it clear they are laser-centered around their postseason desires.

“This team is on a mission and we definitely want to get there,” said Tatis after Sunday’s 4-3, 10-inning victory over the San Francisco Giants. “This is just what it takes for us to get there. So keep it with the same mentality, same approach and coming every single day just to win.”

Darvish Takes the Mound for Padres

San Diego will turn to right-hander Yu Darvish (5-3, 3.52 ERA) to lead them in the series opener. Darvish has been reliable this season and is coming off a strong outing against the Seattle Mariners last Tuesday. He earned a 7-3 win, allowing two runs on seven hits over five innings.

Darvish’s history against the Astros is extensive, having faced them 15 times in his career. Over those matchups, he has gone 5-5 with a 3.64 ERA, striking out 123 hitters in 94 innings. The Padres will need Darvish’s consistency as they continue their push for the postseason.

Astros Look to Extend Winning Streak

The Houston Astros (81-68) are riding a four-game winning streak, including a 6-4 victory on Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels. They currently hold a 4 1/2-game lead over the Seattle Mariners in the American League West, putting them in a strong position to secure the division title.

Houston’s recent success has been driven in part by their newest acquisition, Jason Heyward. The veteran outfielder, who joined the team on Aug. 29 after being released by the Dodgers, has quickly made his presence felt. Heyward went 3-for-3 on Sunday, hitting his eighth homer of the season and driving in two runs.

Heyward is hitting .300 in September, providing a timely boost to the Astros’ lineup as they gear up for the postseason.

“It’s nice to have a job with a team competing to win and wanting to win a World Series,” Heyward said. “That really does make a difference because that is hard. It’s hard to be the last team standing. So it’s just nice to step into another clubhouse with that mentality, that mindset and experience.”

Arrighetti Gets the Start for Houston

Rookie right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (7-12, 4.72 ERA) will take the mound for Houston in the series opener. The young pitcher is coming off a solid outing last Tuesday against the Oakland Athletics, where he gave up two runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings, striking out seven. This will be Arrighetti’s first career appearance against the Padres.

As Houston looks to extend its winning streak, they will rely on Arrighetti to provide them with a quality start, knowing the importance of every game as they aim to secure their playoff positioning.

Key Players to Watch

• Fernando Tatis Jr.: Tatis played the hero on Sunday, hitting a pinch-hit home run to give the Padres a temporary lead. His ability to come through in big moments will be crucial as San Diego pushes toward the postseason.
• Jason Heyward: Since joining the Astros, Heyward has been a key contributor, including a three-hit performance on Sunday. His experience and steady bat will be important for Houston as they look to maintain their momentum.
• Yu Darvish: Darvish’s history against Houston and his recent form make him a pivotal figure in the series opener. His ability to neutralize the Astros’ lineup could set the tone for the Padres in this crucial series.

Conclusion

As the two groups enter the last stretch of the normal season, Monday’s series opener between the Padres and Astros conveys critical season finisher suggestions. San Diego, new off an effective excursion, will hope to keep their postseason force going with Yu Darvish on the hill. In the interim, Houston, drove by the hot bat of Jason Heyward, will expect to expand their series of wins and solidify their situation on the AL West.