Tampa Bay Rays vs San Diego Padres Picks and Predictions August 31st 2024

From Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, we have an interleague matchup between the Padres and Rays. First pitch is set for 6:50 PM ET, and APLTV is carrying this one on TV.

The Rays are the betting favorite, with their money line odds sitting at -133. The over/under line is at 7.5 runs, and the under is favored at -111. San Diego comes in with a record of 76-60, while the Rays are 66-67. Martín Pérez is starting for the Padres, and he is facing off against Taj Bradley for the Rays.

San Diego vs. Tampa Bay Key Information

Left-hander Martín Pérez gets the start for the Padres today as he faces the Rays on the road. He has made 21 starts this season and has a record of 3-5 with an ERA of 4.60. Opponents are batting .285 this season off Pérez, and his WHIP is 1.51. In his last outing, Pérez finished with a no-decision, going 3 2/3 innings and giving up one earned run on four hits. Before that, he had put together three straight starts without giving up a home run. Pérez has allowed at least one homer in seven of his last 10 outings.

Coming into the game, the Padres are the league’s top-hitting team, with a team batting average of .265. They are also the league’s top home run hitting team, and are averaging 4.7 runs per game. San Diego is also one of the league’s toughest teams to strike out, averaging just 6 strikeouts per game.

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Jurickson Profar and Manny Machado have been the Padres’ top power threats this season, as Profar is 2nd on the team with 21 homers, and Machado is right behind him with 22. Machado’s 79 RBIs are 2nd on the team and 15th in the league. Luis Arraez has been swinging a hot bat of late, going 8/20 in his last five games and is batting .307 for the season.

Taj Bradley gets the start for the Rays today and will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Dodgers. In that start, he went six innings and gave up five earned runs on two homers. Bradley finished with a no-decision in the outing. Leading up to that start, he had taken the loss in three straight outings. Bradley’s ERA for the season is 3.77, along with a record of 6-8. Opponents are batting .222 off the right-hander this season. Looking back, he has allowed at least two homers in three of his last four outings.

For the season, the Rays are averaging just 3.8 runs per game, which is the worst mark in the league. They are also near the bottom of the league in home runs and have a team batting average of just .230. However, they do have a few hitters who have been swinging the bat well of late, including Josh Lowe, who is 6/18 in his last five games with two homers.

Yandy Diaz has been the Rays’ best hitter this season, batting .273 with a team-high 57 RBIs. He also has 11 homers, which is the 4th best mark on the team. Christopher Morel and Jose Siri have also been struggling this season, with batting averages of .194 and .197, respectively.

Today’s matchup between the Padres and Rays has the lowest combined runs projection and 4th lowest hits projection. But with the line sitting at 7.5 runs, we are still leaning towards taking the over. As for who is going to take this one straight up, we are leaning towards the Padres to pick up the win. San Diego’s offense has the lowest team strikeout projection in the league today, and Martín Pérez is 15th among today’s starters in projected strikeouts.

With Manny Machado Heating Up, Padres Take on Rays

As August wraps up, Manny Machado is finding his groove at the plate, and the San Diego Padres are seeing the rewards. The Padres will look to clinch a series win against the Tampa Bay Rays in their upcoming game on Saturday in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Machado’s Hot Streak

Machado, a six-time All-Star, was a key figure in the Padres’ 13-5 victory over the Rays in the series opener on Friday. He contributed three hits, including a home run, and drove in four runs, continuing his strong performance at the plate.

Machado’s recent hot streak has been impressive. Over his last eight games, he’s batting .382 (13-for-34) with three homers, 10 RBIs, and six runs. His recent power surge has brought him to 161 career home runs with San Diego, tying him with Adrian Gonzalez for second in franchise history and leaving him just two homers shy of Nate Colbert’s all-time Padres record.

“That’s huge,” Machado said of his achievement. “… To be on that list in such a short period of time is awesome. To be on that same level is an honor for sure.”

Machado’s contributions have been crucial for the Padres as they continue to fight for a wild-card spot in the National League. The Padres have won five of their last eight games, keeping them in contention.

Jackson Merrill’s Emergence

Another key player for the Padres has been rookie Jackson Merrill. Batting sixth in the lineup, Merrill has consistently delivered, including a two-hit performance on Friday that featured an RBI single. Over his last 15 games, Merrill is hitting .333 (19-for-57), providing crucial support behind the team’s veteran hitters.

“One reason it works is because we have five good hitters ahead of him,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “… Those guys have been in this league and done this for multiple seasons. (Merrill) is in a good spot. He’s producing. As simple as that.”

Pitching Matchup: Vasquez vs. Baz

On the mound Saturday, San Diego will send right-hander Randy Vasquez (4-6, 4.52 ERA) against Tampa Bay’s Shane Baz (1-2, 3.48 ERA) in what promises to be an intriguing pitching duel.

Vasquez had a strong showing on Monday, securing his first victory in more than a month. He gave up two runs on six hits in a six inning outing during a 7-4 win against the St. Louis Cardinals. Vasquez will face the Rays for the first time in his career and will aim to maintain his recent success.

On the contrary, Baz comes back to pitch after being out with the flu, which led to him missing his planned start. Following his recovery, Baz is completely ready for Saturday’s game. In his previous outing on August 20th, Baz delivered an outstanding performance, allowing just three hits in 7 2/3 innings as he led his team to a 1-0 win against the Oakland Athletics. Similar to Vasquez, Baz has not yet competed against the Padres in his professional career.

Rays’ Struggles and Injury Concerns

The Rays, who have lost six of their last eight games, are dealing with injury concerns, particularly with their star player Yandy Diaz. Diaz left Friday’s game in the fourth inning due to left patellar tendinitis after tweaking his knee while trying to advance from first to third on an error.

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Kevin Cash, the manager of the Rays, suggested that Diaz is currently considered day-to-day and probably won’t be playing on Saturday. The Rays may face a big setback without Diaz as they try to recover from the defeat on Friday.

Jonathan Aranda, called up from Triple-A Durham before Friday’s game, took Diaz’s spot and had an RBI while going hitless in two at-bats. Cash expressed optimism that Aranda, who has faced injuries and inconsistencies this season, can lend a hand in Diaz’s absence.

“We would like to see (Aranda) do some good things, because we were so high on him coming in,” Cash said. “And then between the finger injury, the oblique injury, just a lot of inconsistencies. But nice to have him back.”

Series Outlook

In order to secure the series with a win on Saturday, the Padres will depend on Manny Machado’s hot streak and Jackson Merrill’s emerging talent. In the meantime, the Rays must overcome their current difficulties and adapt to the possible lack of Yandy Diaz to prevent losing the series at their home field. The duel on the mound between Vasquez and Baz adds an extra element of excitement to an already intriguing game.