Bryan Armetta offers up a preview, prediction and pick for Wednesday’s MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and San Diego Padres.
A dramatic 11th-inning victory on Tuesday has given the Reds (32-34) a much-needed boost. Cincinnati, last place in the NL Central, needs every win it can get going forward. The same is true for the Padres (34-32), a struggling club with World Series aspirations. Does San Diego have enough to clinch this series on Wednesday afternoon?
The Padres are favorites (-171) over the Reds, with the over/under set at eight runs. Below, I’ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Wednesday’s showdown between Cincinnati and San Diego on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Cincinnati has been staying afloat in spite of several key ailments. At the plate, Elly De La Cruz remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. Still, opposing pitchers can’t afford to sleep on the rest of this lineup. As a unit, the Reds have clobbered the fifth-most home runs in the National League (82). Among active players on the roster with at least 100 plate appearances, six have notched a wRC+ above 100 this season. Unfortunately, Cincinnati’s offense also leads the Senior Circuit with 9.42 strikeouts per game.
Whiffs could be frequent this afternoon against Michael King, San Diego’s ace. It’s been another stellar season for the right-hander. Through 74.0 innings of work, he’s notched a 3.41 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 69 strikeouts (8.4 K/9). However, the veteran enters this one on a bit of a cold streak. He’s coughed up nine earned runs over his previous two games (6.75 ERA). Regardless, King’s track record speaks for itself. The 31-year-old has five pitches at his disposal. His two most used off-speed selections are the changeup (27%) and sweeper (20%). Against those pitches, Reds batters have posted a .206/.272/.328 slash line.
In this lopsided pitching matchup, Cincinnati will counter with Brady Singer. Despite some previous success, the right-hander has been a massive disappointment this season. Over 13 outings, he’s on the hook for a 5.89 ERA, 1.69 WHIP and 42 strikeouts (6.9 K/9). Surprisingly, the veteran has been even worse away from hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park. Singer owns a dismal 6.97 ERA over seven starts on the road. The most troubling number for the 29-year-old is a sky-high 2.8 HR/9 ratio. A look under the hood doesn’t inspire any level of confidence. Singer ranks within the bottom fifth percentile in xERA (6.28), xBA (.291), average exit velocity (91.7 MPH) and barrel rate (12.9%).
What happens when a subpar hurler faces the league’s least-potent offense? We’re going to find out on Wednesday. San Diego is averaging an MLB-worst 3.79 runs per game this season. To boot, the Padres are last in batting average (.216), wOBA (.289) and wOBAcon (.332). The team has hit a somewhat respectable 66 home runs, 20th in the majors. That’s not great, but a few dingers might be all that’s required with King on the mound. Singer has coughed up at least three earned runs in each of his previous six appearances.
There’s plenty to like in this spot for the Friars. For starters, the Reds aren’t exactly a force on offense with De La Cruz injured. King, despite some recent hiccups, should return to form at home. On the other side, Singer has been one of baseball’s worst starters this season. His propensity for giving up homers could give San Diego life with just a couple of swings. Back the Padres to earn a comfortable win on Wednesday afternoon.
| Matchup | First Pitch (ET) | Temp | Wind | Precip % | Delay Risk |
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| CIN at SD | 4:10 p.m. | ~73°F | SW 5–10 mph | 0% | LOW |
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