Padres vs Athletics

Red-hot out of the gate, the Padres ride into this matchup winners of five straight, while the Athletics continue to flounder in the early going, having dropped four of their last six. The biggest challenge for the home team? Finding offense without their top slugger Zack Gelof, who is out with a sprained wrist. Meanwhile, San Diego is nearly at full strength, and Fernando Tatis Jr. is thriving atop the lineup, batting .354 with four homers against Athletics pitching in his career. Add in Dylan Cease taking the mound—coming off seven shutout innings in his last outing—and the Friars’ bullpen anchored by Robert Suárez and Wandy Peralta, and it's hard to feel confident backing the Athletics at any price. The A’s counter with Jeffrey Springs, who’s making one of his first starts since returning from Tommy John surgery and will likely be on a pitch count. While the payout on the A’s at +120 is tempting for longshot hunters, this matchup heavily leans toward San Diego pulling out the W. With momentum, health, and favorable matchups from key hitters, this pick grades as a B+ based on win probability, anchored by high floor but modest return value. Odds and availability are subject to change.

Bouncing into this matchup riding a five-game win streak, the red-hot San Diego Padres look primed to continue their offensive onslaught against the struggling Athletics. Without Zack Gelof, who’s sidelined with a wrist injury, the A’s are missing a key run producer in the middle of their lineup. They’ll turn to Jeffrey Springs, a left-hander returning from Tommy John surgery, to try and contain a surging top of the Padres order led by Fernando Tatis Jr. and Juan Soto. Tatis, currently slashing .343/.411/.686, has five homers in seven career games against the A’s. Despite their struggles, the Athletics have averaged just over five runs per game in their last three contests, thanks to a mini-surge from Brent Rooker and Shea Langeliers. Still, with Dylan Cease taking the mound for the Friars and both bullpens trending inconsistent, this one has the ingredients to go Over 8.5 runs, especially if Springs can't get through the fifth. Odds and availability are subject to change.

Despite the Friars’ scorching 8-2 start, the Athletics are well-positioned to sneak inside the run line in Tuesday night’s showdown. San Diego comes into the game on a five-game winning streak, but several of those wins came against underwhelming opponents. The A’s, though just 4-6, have quietly shown signs of life with a pair of walk-off wins in their last three contests. Shea Langeliers, who has cranked three homers in his last five games, will be key—especially with Zack Gelof sidelined. San Diego sends Dylan Cease to the mound, who has looked sharp early in the season, while the Athletics counter with Jeffrey Springs, making one of his first starts back from Tommy John surgery. The Padres are mostly healthy, with Xander Bogaerts and Tatis Jr. pacing the offense. While San Diego should be favored, the A’s could keep it close if Springs is effective early and Langeliers provides a lift. This bet gets a B- due to the risk of inconsistency, but with a +1.5 cushion, there’s enough value for cautious backers. Odds and availability are subject to change.