San Diego Padres Face Atlanta Braves in NL Wild Card Series

The San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves are set to compete in the National League Wild Card series commencing on Tuesday, October 1. The showdown will take place as a best-of-three series, with the victor advancing to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Divisional Series.

In Game 1, the Padres plan to start right-handed pitcher Michael King against the Braves’ right-handed pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver. For Game 2, San Diego will send right-handed pitcher Joe Musgrove to face off with left-handed pitcher Max Fried. As the series potentially progresses to a deciding Game 3, the Padres intend to put right-handed pitcher Dylan Cease on the mound, although the Braves have not yet declared their probable starter for the game.

Game 1 is scheduled for 5:38 p.m. PT/8:38 p.m. ET on Tuesday and will be available for viewing on ESPN. Game 2 will follow on Wednesday with the same start time, broadcast on ESPN2. Should the series reach Game 3, it will occur on Thursday at 4:08 p.m. PT/7:08 p.m. ET, with ESPN providing coverage.

The Padres are entering this series with several advantages. They are reportedly healthier and better-rested than their counterparts, as the Braves recently had to endure a doubleheader against the New York Mets to secure a place in the postseason. The Braves face additional challenges as their ace, Chris Sale, remains sidelined due to back spasms and will not participate in this series.

Conversely, the Padres have been one of the hottest teams in Major League Baseball and are managing a more stable rotation with their top pitchers ready to play. San Diego leads the series after a decisive 4-0 victory over Atlanta in Game 1 on Tuesday.

Looking ahead to Game 2, betting odds favor the Padres, who hold a 1.5-run advantage according to various sports betting platforms. Additionally, analytics predict that they have a slight edge with a 51% probability of winning, as stated by some sports analysis outlets. Despite this, some experts suggest betting on the Braves due to the expected strong performance from Max Fried.

The Padres have been identified as a preferred pick to win the series, bolstered by their impressive 43-20 record after the All-Star break. This success is attributed to a strong lineup featuring returning stars like Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts, and pitchers Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish, creating a promising outlook for the team’s postseason potential.