The San Diego Padres are hoping to remain a serious postseason contender and look to finish off their 10-game road trip on a high note when they conclude their four-game set with the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday. The Brewers have an eye to the future after swinging several deadline deals and look to stay competitive.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The Padres did nothing at the deadline when it was widely rumored they’d be tearing the roster apart after a horrible showing followed their heightened expectations. The Brewers, meanwhile, dismantled their group and can peak down the road by showcasing some youth while trying to remain competitive. Though they lost 4-1 on Tuesday, San Diego is 8-3 in its last 11 games and has won five of its last six series. It’s a positive sign for a club that was expected to be in the hunt for the NL West title, but a little too late. The Padres found some much needed offense on the road scoring 6.3 runs per game over their last seven with the over at 6-1 in that stretch. The Brewers snapped a six-game losing streak with Tuesday’s win and have just three wins in 14 games following a four-game winning streak to start the second half of the season. Milwaukee has struggled at home all season going 21-34 down 16.4 units at Miller Park.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Odrisamer Despaigne (5-7, 4.75 ERA) earned a win to start off August. He pitched six innings against the Marlins allowing five hits and three runs with five strikeouts. While his last start was fine, Despaigne has had issues with consistency throughout the season. He’s won his last two starts and is 2-3 with a 4.88 ERA on the road.
In his only start against the Brewers, Despaigne gave up one earned run and six hits over seven innings with a career-high nine strikeouts getting a no-decision on Aug. 27, 2014. He pitches for the first time at Miller Park.
Walks haunted Matt Garza (5-12, 5.17 ERA) in his last outing Saturday against the Cubs. He issued four free passes, including one that preceded a three-run homer from Anthony Rizzo that was the difference in the game. He posted a quality start going six innings while allowing three runs. Garza’s name was floated around in various trade rumors, but he remains a Brewer for the time being and will still toss up a respectable veteran outing from time to time.
Garza will face the Padres for the first time since 2011 and looks to improve on his 2-0 lifetime record.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“Everybody has a role in leadership. That’s everybody’s job. It’s not solely incumbent on a veteran player to do that. A young player can lead by the way he’s playing. Leadership is on every player.” – Brewers manager Craig Counsell after the team traded several veteran players.
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
When the Padres demoted second baseman Jedd Gyorko to Triple-A El Paso on June 10, they did so with explicit orders to use a few mechanical fixes to get his swing back in order. Gyorko appears to have found something that’s working for him. Gyorko is hitting .273 with four home runs, 12 RBIs and an OPS of .748 since returning to the big club on June 30. When he was sent down, Gyorko was hitting .210 and was essentially playing only when the Padres faced left-handed starters. He’s done a better job of cutting down on his swing and not chasing breaking balls on the outer half of the plate. “He’s coming into his own. He realizes he belongs and he can play here,” said interim manager Pat Murphy.
PROP TALK
Yangervis Solarte extended his hitting streak to 10 games by collecting one of six San Diego hits Tuesday. He’s made the most of extended playing time with Will Middlebrooks in the minors and Cory Spangenberg on the disabled list hitting .338 with three doubles, two triples, two home runs and eight RBIs in 16 games since the All-Star break. Solarte has enjoyed plenty of success against the Brewers, hitting .393 with three homers and nine RBIs in only eight games against them.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
San Diego has shown flashes over the last two weeks of what many expected the team to look like. They’ve won some games, had outstanding starting pitching and were able to plate enough runs. Unfortunately it’s too late to make a difference in their playoff standing. They wrap up their series against a struggling Matt Garza, who’s having the worst season of his career. Garza hasn’t fooled many teams this season with a 5.17 ERA and .290 opponent’s batting average, and although San Diego is at the bottom of the league rankings in team batting average, they’ll be able to muster a few runs against the veteran righty.
San Diego 6, Milwaukee 3
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