Pirates vs. Padres Saturday Prediction
The Pirates and Padres split the first two games of their four-game set from Petco Park this weekend. What’s the best play on the board for bettors on Saturday night when the clubs meet again at 8:40 p.m. ET?
Game Snapshot & Odds
961 Pittsburgh Pirates (+140) at 962 San Diego Padres (-150); 8 runs
Saturday, May 18, 2019
8:40 p.m. ET, Petco Park, San Diego, CA
Compare odds and from multiple different online sportsbooks and shop for the best lines at our new Baseball Odds & Betting Page.
Public Betting Trends
According to our MLB Public Betting Chart page, 51% of the betting tickets are on the Pirates to beat the Padres on the moneyline.
Pittsburgh Pirates Fantasy Spin
Bryan Reynolds went 2-for-4 and hit his second homer Friday against the Padres. Reynolds has had to share time with Melky Cabrera now that the Pirates have Gregory Polanco back. Both have been great thus far, with Reynolds hitting .309 with an .823 OPS and Melky coming in at .344 with an .863 OPS. The Pirates will eventually get Corey Dickerson back, giving them quite a crunch in the outfield, but until then, Reynolds should possess NL-only value.
San Diego Padres Fantasy Spin
Nick Margevicius allowed eight hits and five runs over five innings in Sunday’s loss to the Rockies. The 22-year-old got a lesson in Coors Field, as five of the Rockies’ eight hits went for extra bases. That included a pair of homers, both by Charlie Blackmon, the first time Margevicius has given up multiple homers in the same game. He’s been relatively good in six of his eight starts this year, but his effectiveness has waned in recent outings as the league gets a book on him. In his last five starts, Margevicius has a 5.68 ERA and 1.69 WHIP while going 1-3. The southpaw’s rotation spot isn’t written in stone, but assuming he gets another turn, the Pirates will face Margevicius on Saturday.
MLB Betting Trends
Pittsburgh
The Pirates have lost 46 of their last 68 games versus opponents from the National League West.
San Diego
The Padres are 1-4 in their last five games overall and 5-14 in their last 19 games played on Saturday.
Prediction:
The Padres are 5-1 in their last six home games when facing a team with a winning road record and have won seven of their last nine home games versus a right-handed starter. Meanwhile, the Pirates have dropped six of seven against left-handed starters and are just 15-37 in their last 52 road games versus a lefty. I like the Padres to bounce back with a win tonight at home.
The Pick: San Diego Padres -150