National League clubs kick off a three-game series on Memorial Day, as the Philadelphia Phillies visit the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.

The Phillies (26–27, 3rd NL East) hit the road after a deflating home stand, although they’re still holding onto one of MLB’s top records in May. The Padres (31–21, 2nd NL West) are looking to finish their home stretch strong before packing their bags for the Northeast — including a stop in Philadelphia.   

Looking at the pitching probables, we’ve got Philadelphia southpaw Jesus Luzardo (3–4, 4.85 ERA) taking on San Diego right-hander Griffin Canning (0–2, 9.00 ERA).

First pitch is at 6:40 p.m. ET. The Phillies enter as 1.5-run road favorites with -120 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Padres are +100 underdogs, with the game total set at O/U seven runs.

Phillies vs. Padres Preview

Philadelphia Phillies

Has the Manager of the Year Award ever gone to an interim skipper?* The Phillies have been completely revived by former bench coach — and MVP first baseman — Don Mattingly, sporting MLB’s third-best record (17–8) since he took the reins at the end of April.

Philadelphia’s offense is starting to heat up, largely thanks to superstar sluggers Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, the latter of whom leads MLB with 20 home runs. Meanwhile, the club’s deeply unlucky pitching staff has also started to turn a corner. The resurgence has been particularly evident in the starting unit, which has posted a 2.95 ERA since the beginning of May — a top-three mark in the sport.

The Phillies will look to keep the momentum rolling with Monday’s starter, Jesus Luzardo, who has dealt with his fair share of batted-ball misfortune. The 28-year-old southpaw enters with a 4.85 ERA across 10 starts (55.2 IP), though a MLB-worst .361 BABIP helps explain a much more encouraging 3.21 xERA. Luzardo’s underlying metrics paint the picture of a flamethrowing ace, with a Baseball Savant profile as red as his Phillies cap. Most recently, he spun six innings of two-run ball with five strikeouts against the Reds.

*Two managers hired mid-season have won Manager of the Year, including Jack McKeon of the 2003 Florida Marlins and Jim Tracy of the 2009 Colorado Rockies. Funny enough, Mattingly’s predecessor, Rob Thomson, finished second in MOTY voting when he took charge in June 2022.

San Diego Padres

Rare is the instance when a team is defined by its bullpen. San Diego has corralled arguably the most formidable arm barn in MLB, anchored by generational closer Mason Miller. The fireballing right-hander, 27, has surrendered just two earned runs all season — and at one point boasted a negative FIP.

But aside from that, the Padres are fairly pedestrian. The club’s offense has been disastrous — albeit exceptionally unlucky — highlighted by the homerless endeavors of two-time Silver Slugger Fernando Tatis Jr. He and Manny Machado both head into Monday with an OPS under .620.

San Diego’s starting rotation, void of a genuine ace, sits in the bottom third of MLB in ERA. The Padres will hope to stem the tide by handing the ball to Griffin Canning. The veteran right-hander, 30, has struggled since returning from last year’s torn Achilles, posting a 9.00 ERA (4.04 xERA) and a 1.81 WHIP across his first four starts (16 IP). Last time out, Canning allowed three earned runs over five frames against the Dodgers.

Phillies vs. Padres Pick, Best Bet

The Phillies head to the West Coast with a golden opportunity to get back on track against a middling Padres lineup that has stalled offensively. Expect Luzardo to pitch in line with his strong underlying metrics, while Harper, Schwarber, and company pounce on Canning before the San Diego bullpen can take over. Philadelphia should take Monday’s series opener in spread-covering fashion.

Best Bet: Philadelphia Phillies -1.5 Runs (+141)