Rich Hill will get the start for the Padres (65-73, 38-34 home) as they host the Phillies (75-61, 34-35 away) at PETCO Park. The Phillies will give the starting nod to Taijuan Walker. Check out my prediction for game one of this National League matchup between the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES VS SAN DIEGO PADRES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Philadelphia Phillies -1.5 Runs

This game will be played at PETCO Park at 6:40 ET on Monday, September 4th.

WHY BET THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES:

  • Against the runline, the Padres have gone just 3-7 in their last ten home games.
  • As the road underdog, the Phillies’ runline win streak stands at three games.
  • For the season, the Phillies have gone 19-7 with Taijuan Walker on the mound as the starter.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES TRYING TO CLOSE GAP IN NL EAST

On an overall record of 75-61, the Phillies are 2nd in the NL East. On the road, Philadelphia has put together a record of 34-35 while going 41-26 at home. Against teams with below .500 records, the club has gone 35-35. Overall, the Phillies have played in 44 series, going 24-17-3.

Taijuan Walker has been having a solid season in 2023, boasting an ERA of 4.05 across 26 outings. His overall record stands at 14-5 heading into the game, and he will look to extend his streak of not giving up a home-run to three games. Opponents have had difficulty against him, with a SLG% of .389 and batting average of .234.

Taijuan Walker earned the victory in his last start, yielding three earned runs and eight hits over 5 2/3 innings against the Angels. The Phillies emerged victorious with a 6-4 scoreline.

The Phillies have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 23 home runs over their last ten games. Compared to other clubs, this is 1st best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 9th in home runs and 5th in slugging percentage. Overall, Philadelphia is averaging 4.9 runs per game (9th).

Trea Turner has been a major offensive force for the Phillies this season, leading the team with 21 home runs in their last five games alone. He boasts an impressive .261 batting average, making him a key contributor to the team’s success.

WILL THE SAN DIEGO PADRES TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

The Padres’ record of 65-73 has them ranked 4th in the NL West. So far, they have a below .500 series record of 17-22-5. This season, they have gone 38-34 at home and 27-39 on the road.

Rich Hill takes the mound for San Diego with a 7-13 record. He has made 27 appearances this season, boasting an ERA of 5.25, a K/9 of 7.69, a FIP of 4.84, and an OBP of .331.

Rich Hill was on the mound for the Padres in their 5-4 loss to the Cardinals. He pitched four innings, giving up three runs on five hits, but did not factor into the decision.

For the season, the Padres’ offense is averaging 4.5 runs per game. Over their last ten games they have swung the bats well, sitting 10th in the league in scoring, with a total of 45 runs. Overall, San Diego’s team batting average is .240, putting them 15th in the MLB.

Juan Soto has been a major offensive contributor for the Padres this season, as evidenced by his 28 home runs over the course of the year. During their last ten games, Soto has hit four homers to lead the team and is batting .261 overall.