The Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres continue their three-game series tonight at Petco Park, with Paul Skenes and Michael King scheduled to take the mound. First pitch is set for 9:40 p.m. ET.
Pittsburgh opened the series with a 3-2 victory in 12 innings on Monday. Nick Gonzales drove in the go-ahead run with a single in the top of the 12th before Yohan Ramírez struck out the side to finish the game.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Pirates, who improved to 64-69 after closing it out. Pittsburgh remains 7.5 games behind San Diego for the National League’s final Wild Card spot.
San Diego enters the second game of the series at 71-61 and holds a two-game advantage over the Arizona Diamondbacks for that final playoff position. Monday’s defeat ended a three-game winning streak and an eight-game home winning streak for the Padres, but it was still only their eighth loss in their last 29 games.
Skenes enters tonight’s meeting at 9-11 with a 3.95 ERA and 1.14 WHIP across 139 innings. The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner has struggled to match the standard he established over his first two seasons, recording a 5.67 ERA with 21 walks in 46 innings since the beginning of July.
The right-hander lasted only 4.1 innings against Detroit in his latest start, allowing three runs on four hits and four walks. He has already faced the Padres once this season, however, and carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before finishing with one run allowed on two hits, two walks and six strikeouts over 6.1 innings in a 7-1 Pittsburgh victory.
King counters with an 8-9 record, 3.38 ERA and 1.17 WHIP over 149 innings. He has posted a 3.42 ERA across four starts in August and is coming off 6.2 innings of two-run baseball against the New York Mets. He also defeated Pittsburgh earlier this season, allowing two runs across six innings in San Diego’s 8-2 victory on April 8.
Pirates vs. Padres Odds Today
- Moneyline: Pirates (+110), Padres (-120)
- Run Line: Pirates +1.5 (-230), Padres -1.5 (+165)
- Total: Over 7.5 (+110), Under 7.5 (-120)
Reminder: Hard Rock Bet’s 10¢ Summer Sale is currently in its final week. Through the end of August, players can take advantage of reduced-vig dime lines on pregame MLB Moneyline, Run Line and Total markets priced between -250 and +250.
Best Bet for Pirates vs. Padres
Before locking any bets, visit Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook‘s Stats Hub for trends and additional data that can help you build your betting card. For tonight’s matchup, we’re backing another low-scoring game:
Under 7.5 Total Runs (-120): According to Stats Hub, nine of the Pirates’ last 10 road games following an extra-inning contest have gone Under the total. That trend applies after Monday’s opener needed 12 innings to produce just five combined runs.
Tonight’s pitching matchup also strongly supports the Under. King has consistently pitched well against Pittsburgh, going 2-0 with a 2.65 ERA and 21 strikeouts across three career appearances. That includes the aforementioned six innings of two-run baseball when he faced the Pirates earlier this season.
Skenes is the bigger variable after an uneven stretch, but we’re buying into a bounce-back performance against a lineup he has already handled this year. He limited San Diego to one run on two hits over 6.1 innings in April, with the Padres managing only three hits as a team in Pittsburgh’s 7-1 victory.
All of that being said, give us Under 7.5 total runs in what should be a pitcher’s duel at Petco.
Pirates vs. Padres Betting Splits
San Diego leads the action on both the moneyline and run line ahead of tonight’s matchup:
- The Padres have received 66.5% of all moneyline tickets and 83.4% of the handle.
- San Diego -1.5 has drawn 78.3% of all run line tickets and 71.3% of the handle.
- The Under accounts for 52.2% of all tickets and 74.5% of the handle.
Top 5 Most-Bet Player Props
Skenes is at the center of tonight’s most popular player props, appearing three times among the top five – including both sides of his strikeout total:
- Fernando Tatis Jr. – Over 0.5 Hits
- Paul Skenes – Under 6.5 Strikeouts
- Paul Skenes – Over 4.5 Strikeouts
- Paul Skenes – Over 6.5 Strikeouts
- Nick Gonzales – Over 0.5 Hits
Pirates vs. Padres Game Info
- 📍 Where: Petco Park, San Diego, California
- 📅 Date: Tuesday, August 25
- ⏰ First Pitch: 9:40 PM ET
- 📺💻 TV/Streaming: SportsNet Pittsburgh, Padres.TV, ESPN Unlimited, MLB.TV
- ⚾ Probable Pitchers:
- Pirates: Paul Skenes (9-11, 3.95 ERA)
- Padres: Michael King (8-9, 3.38 ERA)
More Ways to Bet
One swing can cash your ticket, but until then, Florida players can keep things interesting with Real Money Games powered by Past Motor Racing, only on Hard Rock Bet. It’s another way to stay engaged between plate appearances.
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