San Diego Padres vs Atlanta Braves Picks and Predictions July 13th 2024

Braves’ Marcell Ozuna Aims to Continue Power Display vs. Padres

Overview

Marcell Ozuna said Monday night’s Home Run Derby will be a show. Ozuna started off bright and early on it Friday night in San Diego, where he belted his 25th and 26th homers of the time to fuel the Atlanta Braves‘ 6-1 win over the San Diego Padres. Atlanta will go for a series win on Saturday in San Diego.

Marcell Ozuna’s Presentation

The Braves’ assigned hitter is partaking in a moment straight pennant season, this one standing out much more since he’s been the most dependable bat in a setup that is relapsed a lot from the one that broke 307 homers in 2023. Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) is out for the year, while Matt Olson should get hot over the last 2 1/2 months to get most of the way to his 54-homer result from the past season. Austin Riley is probably not going to draw near to the 37 dingers he scored in 2023.

Ozuna isn’t just giving power and run creation – – he drives the National League with 77 RBIs – – yet is batting .301, 6th in the NL. That multitude of achievements procured him a first shot at the Home Run Derby.

“I’m just going to have fun and compete,” he said of the event. “You’re going to have fun no matter what, even if you lose. I’ve been there before watching my teammates do it, so I just want to do it this year to see how cool it’s going to be.”

Braves’ Pitching Performance

It’s been a cool year for Reynaldo Lopez (7-2, 1.71 ERA), who will get the start for Atlanta on Saturday. He’s coming off a stellar outing against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, when he allowed two hits over six scoreless innings with three walks and six strikeouts. Lopez has a 2.45 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against San Diego.

Padres’ Struggles

Meanwhile, the Padres’ losing skid extended to five games on Friday. San Diego has scored just five runs in the last four games, and with consecutive All-Stars — Lopez and Chris Sale — starting the final two games before the break for the Braves, things don’t figure to get easier.

Padres’ Pitching Matchup

The Padres expect a decent trip from right-hander Dylan Cease (7-8, 4.21), who contributed well a 9-1 misfortune on Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Cease surrendered three sudden spikes in demand for five hits and a stroll in seven innings however tumbled to 2-6 in his last eight choices. The six-year veteran is 1-0 with a 6.00 ERA in two profession begins against Atlanta.

Return of Xander Bogaerts

In the event that there was a brilliant spot for San Diego on Friday night, it was the arrival of second baseman Xander Bogaerts (shoulder) from the harmed list. Bogaerts, who unexpectedly was harmed against the Braves on May 20, made his return against them with a couple of hits.

“I feel good, man,” Bogaerts said prior to Friday night’s game. “Let’s see how it goes.”

San Diego’s Offensive Struggles

The rest of the team combined for three hits, a common theme in a skid that has followed two weeks where the Padres simply pounded the ball. San Diego averaged nearly six runs per game over a 12-4 stretch from June 19 – July 5.

Stay Ahead with Real-Time MLB Odds! Check Live MLB Odds, Lines & Scores now to make informed betting decisions.

Previous Matchup

This will be the second time Lopez and Cease square off this season. They first met on the day Bogaerts went down in the opener of a doubleheader in Atlanta. The Braves’ warm up area permitted four runs in the eighth inning to cost Lopez a success as the Padres won 6-5.

Conclusion

The Atlanta Braves hope to proceed with their strength with Marcell Ozuna driving the charge, expecting to get a series win against the striving San Diego Padres. As the two groups manage wounds and setup changes, the spotlight stays on Ozuna’s power show and the pitching duel between Reynaldo Lopez and Dylan Cease.