Colorado Rockies vs San Diego Padres Picks and Predictions August 17th 2024

At 8:10 PM ET, the Padres and Rockies face off in an NL West matchup. This one is being played at Coors Field in Denver, and the Padres are the heavy favorite on the money line, with their odds sitting at -204 compared to the Rockies at +173. The over/under line is at 11 runs.

San Diego will be starting Dylan Cease, while the Rockies have Kyle Freeland on the mound. San Diego is 3rd in the NL West with a record of 69-54, while the Rockies are 5th at 45-78.

San Diego vs. Colorado Key Information

Right-hander Dylan Cease gets the start for the Padres today as he faces the Rockies on the road. Cease has made 25 starts this season and has a record of 11-9 with a 3.41 ERA. In his last outing, Cease took the loss, giving up five earned runs in five innings of work. Before that, he had won three straight starts. Cease has one complete game shutout this year and 13 quality starts. Cease leads the majors with 181 strikeouts. His ERA on the road is 4.53, compared to 3.29 at home.

San Diego comes into the game as the league’s top hitting team, with a team batting average of .265. They are also among the league leaders in slugging percentage and have the fewest strikeouts in the league. Overall, they are averaging 4.8 runs per game, which is 11th in the league.

Stay Informed with MLB Tips! Access the best MLB Betting Tips available.

Jurickson Profar has been the Padres’ top power threat this season, with 19 home runs, which is the best mark on the team. His 72 RBIs are also the best on the team. Profar has also been on a tear of late, going 11/24 in his last seven games. Luis Arraez has also been hot of late, going 12/31 in his last seven games. This has helped him move his season batting average to .308.

Kyle Freeland gets the start for the Rockies today and comes into the game with a record of 3-4 and an ERA of 5.75. So far this season, he has made 13 starts, six of which were quality starts. Looking at his numbers, Freeland has a WHIP of 1.49 and is averaging 7.49 strikeouts per nine innings. In his last outing, he finished with a no-decision, giving up three earned runs in 3 2/3 innings of work. Before that, he had given up at least three earned runs in three straight starts. The left-hander’s ERA at home is 3.51 compared to 12.12 on the road.

Colorado’s offense has been one of the better home teams in the league this season, averaging 5 runs per game at Coors Field. Overall, they are averaging 4.3 runs per contest, which is 16th in the majors. The Rockies are also 11th in team batting average and have the 11th best slugging percentage in the league.

Brenton Doyle and Ezequiel Tovar have been the Rockies’ top home run hitters this season, with 20 and 19 homers, respectively. Tovar is batting .272 for the season, while Doyle comes into the game with a batting average of .266. Brendan Rodgers has been hot of late, going 10/29 in his last seven games, including two homers and eight RBIs.

There should be no shortage of offense in today’s Padres and Rockies matchup, but we are still leaning towards taking the under. As for a straight-up pick, we like the Padres to come out on top. Dylan Cease is our highest projected starter of the day in terms of strikeouts, and he also has the 4th best innings pitched projection. On the other side, Kyle Freeland has the 2nd worst strikeout projection among today’s starters.

Padres Look to Bounce Back Against Rockies After Series Opener Loss

The San Diego Padres are hoping to keep away from consecutive misfortunes to the Colorado Rockies as they proceed with their three-game series in Denver on Saturday. Regardless of their solid exhibition since the All-Star break, the Padres have wound up battling against the Rockies, a group with the most terrible record in the National League. After a 7-3 loss in the series opener on Friday, San Diego is planning to recover energy as they push for a playoff spot.

Padres’ Post-All-Star Flood

The Padres have been perhaps of the most sultry group in baseball since the All-Star break, losing only four of their 23 games. Nonetheless, two of those misfortunes have come because of the Rockies, an amazing improvement thinking about Colorado’s battles this season. San Diego’s misfortune on Friday was especially baffling as it came against a group they are supposed to overwhelm.

The Padres are as of now attached with the Arizona Diamondbacks for second spot in the NL West, three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. Both San Diego and Arizona hold wild-card spots as of Saturday, making each game crucial as the playoff race warms up.

Dylan Cease Takes the Mound

San Diego will turn to right-hander Dylan Cease to help them get back on track. Cease (11-9, 3.41 ERA), who was acquired from the Chicago White Sox before the start of the season, has been a key part of the Padres’ rotation. Despite a strong season overall, Cease is coming off a tough-luck loss to the Miami Marlins last Sunday, where he was hampered by three unearned runs in a 7-6 defeat. That loss ended Cease’s personal four-game winning streak, which included a historic first career no-hitter against the Washington Nationals on July 25.

Cease knows the importance of maintaining focus as the Padres continue their playoff push. “Every game we’re playing now is extremely important,” Cease said recently. “We need to continue to bring this focus and intensity and effort to every game we’re playing. We’re really looking good right now.”

Cease will face the Rockies for the third time this season and the fifth time in his career. He holds a 1-2 record with a 4.43 ERA in those four starts against Colorado, including a 1-1 record in 2024. Pitching at Coors Field, with its thin air and challenging conditions, will be another test for Cease as he looks to lead the Padres to victory.

Rockies Honor Todd Helton

The Rockies will enjoy some real success on Saturday as they honor recently enlisted Hall of Popularity first baseman Todd Helton. The festival makes certain to invigorate both the group and the fanbase at Coors Field. Fittingly, Colorado will send left-hander Kyle Freeland to the hill, a Denver local who grew up pulling for the Rockies during Helton’s profession.

Gain Exclusive Access! Join Now on SportsHub.

Freeland (3-4, 5.75 ERA) has had a tough season and has been dealing with blister issues that forced him out of his last two starts. He has yet to face the Padres this season, but he has plenty of experience against them, holding a 7-7 record with a 4.37 ERA in 23 career appearances (21 starts) against San Diego. Freeland will hope to stay in the game longer this time and avoid the blister issues that have plagued him recently.

Rockies’ Offense Heating Up

Colorado’s offense has been warming up as of late, especially at home. The Rockies scored nine goes against the Atlanta Overcomes in their last home game before the Padres series and included seven more Friday night. Brendan Rodgers has been a key benefactor, sending off a three-run homer in the principal inning on Friday to establish the vibe for the Rockies’ triumph. Rodgers has been tracking down his section after a sluggish beginning to the season, and his superior exhibition has been seen by supervisor Bud Dark.

“He’s hitting well at home, I like that, but overall on the road we’re seeing good at-bats, too,” Black said after Friday’s win. “He’s driving the ball better, the swing is crisp with some bat speed to it. What’s good about it to me and the coaching staff is it’s happening at the time of the year when you have to fight through some things mentally and physically to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Conclusion: Padres Aim to Regain Momentum

As the Padres hope to keep away from back to back misfortunes to the Rockies, Dylan Cease’s presentation will be critical in establishing the vibe for the game. San Diego can’t stand to drop more games to Colorado assuming they desire to remain in the main part of the playoff race. In the mean time, the Rockies, floated by the energy of Todd Helton’s Hall of Distinction festivity and late hostile achievement, will be hoping to capitalize on their home-field benefit and keep on playing spoiler against one of the National League’s top groups.