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The San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds both look to halt streaks as they open a four-game series Thursday at Petco Park.
The Padres come into the game listed at -160 over the Reds on Thursday.
Tanner Roark will be on the mound for the Reds. The 32-year-old right-hander had his best outing of the young season last Saturday, holding St. Louis to one run on six hits and a walk with five strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings in Mexico after playing catch on the eve of the outing in the courtyard of the Reds’ hotel.
Roark explained to mlb.com,
You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do, If I have a start and there’s a day off before it, I have to throw and get moving around. You have to keep things loose
Roark had given up six runs on 13 hits and five walks with 10 strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings over his first two starts to the season. Roark (0-0, 4.30 ERA), who opposes right-handed Padres rookie Chad Paddack (0-0, 1.29 ERA after three Major League starts) Thursday night has had success against the Padres and at Petco Park.
Roark has a 3-1 career record against the Padres with a 2.90 ERA, a 0.742 WHIP and a .162 opponents’ batting average against the Padres in five appearances (four starts). He is 2-0 in three appearances (two starts) against the Padres’ at Petco Park with a 2.62 ERA, a 0.765 WHIP and a .172 OPA.
The Reds haven’t won since Roark’s start in Mexico, going 0-5 since.
Youngster Going for San Diego
The 23-year-old Paddack will be facing the Reds for the first time. In three previous starts this season, Paddack has allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and six walks with 15 strikeouts in 14 innings for a 0.857 WHIP to go with that 1.29 ERA.Paddack’s forte is an exceptional changeup to go with a mid-90’s fastball. But he is also working in a curve.
Padres manager Andy Green said of Paddack’s curve,
Just keep throwing it, It’s a pitch that has been an effective strike pitch for him. I think it is something that he continues to use consistently and will be a big part of his mix as time moves forward.
He sells the changeup with great arm action. There’s a lot of swings and misses because of that. It obviously has some movement to it, but it’s not an outrageously moving change. It’s great sell and good arm action and good speed difference.
The Padres need to have Paddack be a stopper. The Padres have lost three in a row after an 11-5 start. The Padres have also slipped to 4-5 after their first home games – a mark they have to improve upon if they hope to be a playoff contender.
Last year, the Padres went 31-50 at Petco Park. They have had a winning record only once over the past four seasons.
The three young left-handed pitchers ahead of Paddack – Eric Lauer, Joey Lucchesi and Nick Margevicius have hit a bump in the road after posting a combined 1.71 ERA and a 0.926 WHIP during their first two trips through the rotation. But in their last two starts, the trio have combined to post a 7.31 ERA over six starts with a 1.238 WHIP. Now it’s Paddack’s chance to stop the slide.
Padres Top Reds
Look for that to happen. Cincinnati has shown the ability to struggle to score. Look for the Padres to come out on top in this home game. Take the Padres at -160 over the Reds.
