Bryan Armetta offers up a preview, prediction and pick for Friday\u2019s game between the San Diego Padres and the St. Louis Cardinals.<\/p>\n
As of this afternoon, the Padres<\/a> (55-48) are in sole possession of the final National League wild card spot. Trailing them by just 2.5 games are the Cardinals<\/a> (53-51), currently third in the contentious NL Central division. Safe to say, this late July battle has plenty of weight. Which of these playoff contenders will kick off the weekend with a clutch win? Below, I\u2019ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Friday\u2019s matchup between the Padres and the Cardinals.<\/p>\n The Padres are favorites (-126)<\/a> over the Cardinals, with the over\/under set at 8.5 runs<\/a>. Let\u2019s break down which side has the edge on DraftKings Sportsbook<\/a> entering tonight\u2019s contest.<\/p>\n Padres vs. Cardinals prediction, preview<\/p>\n Despite remaining in postseason contention, both of these squads are flawed (albeit for different reasons). The Padres have held opponents to the fifth-fewest runs per game in baseball (3.88). However, their offense has scored at the league\u2019s sixth-lowest rate (4.02). That latter mark is surprising given the amount of talent in this San Diego lineup. Former All-Stars such as Manny Machado (137 wRC+) and Fernando Tatis Jr. (130) have produced, but other big names such as Jackson Merrill (108) and Luis Arraez (105) have disappointed. The end result is a group that\u2019s been less than the sum of its parts. Since July 1st, the Friars have scored just 69 runs, fourth-lowest in baseball.<\/p>\n Fortunately for San Diego, this remains one of the sport\u2019s better pitching staffs. Nick Pivetta has been a pleasant surprise, signed away from the Red Sox<\/a> this offseason. Through 115.1 innings of work, the right-hander has notched a 2.81 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 127 strikeouts. The 32-year-old has been on a heater as of late, allowing just one run over his last five starts (0.57 ERA). He\u2019ll get to face a Cardinals lineup that, like the Padres, has struggled in recent weeks. This month, St. Louis has scored the league\u2019s third-fewest runs (67).<\/p>\n If the Cardinals are going to pick up a win tonight, they\u2019ll need a solid performance from Miles Mikolas. The two-time All-Star has been a rotation mainstay since joining the team in 2018. However, father time catches up to everyone. This season, the 36-year-old has posted a lackluster 5.20 ERA and 1.30 WHIP. If there\u2019s any consolation for the veteran, he\u2019s been much better at home (4.19 ERA) than on the road (6.00). Mikolas\u2019 biggest issue has been surrendering homers (1.6 HR\/9). That might not be an issue on Friday; San Diego has hit the fourth-fewest dingers in baseball (88).<\/p>\n Padres vs. Cardinals pick, best bet<\/p>\n