Bryan Armetta offers up a preview, prediction and pick for Wednesday\u2019s MLB game between the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres.<\/p>\n
Two straight wins have clinched yet another series for the red-hot Phillies (28-27). Still, a lackluster month of April means Philadelphia needs all the wins it can get going forward. That means earning a sweep this week against the contending Padres (31-23). San Diego, eyeing a trip to the World Series, will hope to save face this afternoon at home. <\/p>\n
The Phillies are favorites (-143)<\/a> over the Padres, with the over\/under set at seven runs<\/a>. Below, I\u2019ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Wednesday\u2019s showdown between Philadelphia and San Diego on DraftKings Sportsbook<\/a>.<\/p>\n Phillies vs. Padres prediction, preview<\/p>\n The headliner in this one is Cristopher Sanchez, and for good reason. On an absolutely loaded Phillies pitching staff, the southpaw has established himself as a bonafide ace. Through 72.1 innings of work, he\u2019s posted a National League-best 1.62 ERA, along with a 1.15 WHIP and 86 strikeouts (10.7 K\/9). Sanchez has allowed two earned runs or less in ten of his 11 starts this season. The former All-Star looks more than capable of winning his first career Cy Young award. Taking the mound at spacious Petco Park should only help the Dominican this afternoon.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not as if Wednesday presents the most difficult matchup for Philly\u2019s standout hurler. San Diego has looked off at the plate for most of the season, including this series. The team has scored a combined three runs against the Phillies this week. Struggling stars Fernando Tatis Jr. (87 wRC+), Manny Machado (77 wRC+) and Jackson Merrill (65 wRC+) haven\u2019t helped. The Padres own an MLB-worst .602 OPS against left-handed pitching as well. At home, they\u2019re averaging the fourth-fewest runs per game in baseball (3.61).<\/p>\n For the Friars, it\u2019ll be Walker Buehler toeing the slab this afternoon. It wasn\u2019t that long ago when the 31-year-old was seen as one of the league\u2019s top hurlers. However, injuries and inconsistent performance have limited the former Dodgers ace. Over ten outings in 2026, he\u2019s on the hook for a 5.05 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 41 strikeouts (8.0 K\/9). Per Savant<\/a>, Buehler ranks within the bottom 30th percentile in expected batting average (.275), average exit velocity (90.0 MPH) and whiff rate (19.4%). Length has been an issue as well; he\u2019s tossed more than 5.0 innings on just three occasions this season.<\/p>\n Navigating Philadelphia\u2019s lineup was surprisingly easy for opposing pitchers during the month of April. That\u2019s not quite the case in May. Although this group is still capable of taking things up a notch, the Fightins have begun looking like their old selves. Over their last 27 games, the Phillies rank tenth in runs scored (118), third in homers (37) and fifth in slugging percentage (.414). If there\u2019s a notable weakness for this squad, it\u2019s plate discipline. Philadelphia is only generating 3.02 walks per game, sixth-worst in the majors. However, that may not play a big role on Wednesday given Buehler\u2019s difficulty generating whiffs. <\/p>\n Phillies vs. Padres pick, best bet<\/p>\n It\u2019s reasonable to believe a veteran Padres squad can avoid getting swept at home. However, it\u2019s also fair to say the odds are stacked against San Diego. Sanchez has been at another level as of late, and the Friars have shown no ability to hit southpaws. On the other side, it\u2019s difficult to have much confidence in Buehler against a powerful Phillies lineup. Equipped with momentum and a superior starter, the visitors merit consideration as heavy favorites.<\/p>\n