The season didn’t start well for the new-look San Diego Padres, as they got beat by division rivals, Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday. The Padres will give it another go tonight when they face the Dodgers for the second time in their three-game series. Read on for more about this game below. You can also click here for a preview of the Cards-Cubs game.
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San Diego Padres vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Preview
Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
When: Tuesday, April 7, 10:10 PM ET
Line: San Diego Padres (+150) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (-170); total: 6.5 – view all MLB lines
Betting on the San Diego Padres
A.J. Preller did all he can in the offseason to make San Diego better. The Padres, however, failed to live up to the hype in their season opener on Monday, losing to the Dodgers, 6-3. With Tyson Ross on the mound later tonight, San Diego looks to get its first win of the season and tie the series up with LA.
[sc:MLB240banner ]Last season, Ross had a decent 2.67 ERA and an impressive 29 total strikeouts in four starts against the Dodgers. Despite Ross’ brilliance, San Diego went 0-4 in those games, largely because its pathetic offense was only able to generate four total runs. Ross hopes that the addition of the likes of Will Myers and Matt Kemp will give him better run support this time around. San Diego was dead last in the majors in run support per nine innings last season.
Myers and Kemp each face Zack Greinke, against whom they’ve struggled in limited at bats thus far in their careers. Myers is 0-for-3 against the Dodgers’ righty, while Kemp is 1–for-5.
The same can’t be said about fellow San Diego newcomers Clint Barmes and Justin Upton, however. Barmes is 7-for-16 (.438) against Greinke in his career. Upton, on the other hand, is 7-for-14 (.500). That includes a home run and four walks, numbers that suggest Upton has a very good read of Greinke’s stuff.
The under is 5-0 in Ross’ last five starts against the Dodgers.
A day after Clayton Kershaw helped the Dodgers win the team’s season opener against San Diego, another Cy Young Award winner takes the mound tonight for LA in Zack Greinke.
Greinke enters tonight’s matchup knowing nothing about how it feels to lose to San Diego. In fact, Greinke is 4-0 with a 1.84 ERA in seven career starts against the Padres. In addition, the Dodgers are 5-0 in Greinke’s last six starts in Chavez Ravine. But of course, a solid lineup behind him helps boost Greinke’s confidence heading into another matchup with San Diego.
In Monday’s win over San Diego, the Dodgers showed why they’re projected to be one of the most prolific offensive teams this season. Jimmy Rollins went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs; Adrian Gonzales showed no mercy to his former team by going 3-for-5; while Howie Kendrick finished 2-for-4.
Among all of the Dodgers hitters in the lineup tonight, Carl Crawford has the best numbers against Tyson Ross. Crawford, who went 1-for-3 in the first game of this series, is a career .538 career hitter (7-for-13) versus Ross.
