The 2022 MLB season continues Saturday, April 16, with a 15-game card, so we have prepared the best Braves vs. Padres betting pick and odds, as San Diego hosts the reigning champions for the third contest of their four-game series at Petco Park.

According to Bovada Sportsbook, the Braves are -120 moneyline favorites, while the Padres are +110 home dogs with a total of 8.5 runs. San Diego routed Atlanta in the opener, 12-1, while Friday night’s game has been excluded from the analysis. 

The Braves are off to a poor start                      

The Atlanta Braves fell to 3-5 on the season following that heavy loss at the Padres this past Thursday. Charlie Morton had a bad day in the office, allowing five earned runs on nine hits and three walks across five innings of work, while the Braves committed three costly errors.

On the other side of the ball, Atlanta recorded six hits and zero free passes. Ozzie Albies launched a solo home run in the top of the ninth, and the talented second baseman is now slashing .250/.371/.536 on the season. The Braves have scored 35 runs through their first eight games in 2022, but 16 of those 35 runs have come in one game against the hapless Nationals.

Ian Anderson will take the mound Saturday, and the 23-year-old righty had a rough season opener. He was charged for a loss in a 6-3 home defeat to the Reds, surrendering a whopping five earned runs on three hits and five walks across 2.2 frames of work.

The Padres bounced back from a tough series against the Giants          

The 5-3 San Diego Padres snapped their two-game skid with that thrashing of the Braves last Thursday. After losing twice at the San Francisco Giants, 13-2 and 2-1, the Padres found the right rhythm at the dish and posted 16 hits against the reigning champs.

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Manny Machado went 5-for-6 with a dinger, scoring four runs on the night. Eric Hosmer was 4-of-5 for a couple of RBIs, while Luke Void had a pair of hits and three RBIs. Joe Musgrove dominated on the mound and kept the Braves off the scoreboard through 6.2 innings to round up an excellent team performance.

Nick Martinez will get the nod Saturday, his second of the season. The 31-year-old right-hander threw five frames of a one-run ball in a 4-2 victory at the Giants this past Monday but didn’t factor into the decision. It was Nick’s first appearance in the majors since 2017. Martinez is now 17-30 with a 4.73 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 69 starts and 20 relief appearances throughout his career.

Trends:

Atlanta:

  • 1-4 in the last five games overall

San Diego:

  • 5-2 in the last seven games overall 

Atlanta Braves vs. San Diego Padres Pick

It’s hard to trust the starting duo in this matchup. Ian Anderson has struggled with control lately, though he had a 1.59 ERA through 17 frames last postseason. On the other side, Nick Martinez spent the last four years in Japan, playing for the Nippon-Ham Fighters and Fukuoka Hawks.

It feels like this game could easily go either way, and I’ve just got burned on the Braves in the opener. Neither bullpen has impressed, as Atlanta owns a 4.73 ERA, while San Diego carries a 4.88 ERA. Besides a 16-4 victory over the Nats, Atlanta hasn’t shown a lot at the plate in the opening week, so I lean the Padres in this clash.

Pick: Take San Diego Padres at +110                  

The Total:

Both lineups are loaded with talented bats, but they’ve been pretty inconsistent so far this season. The Braves rank 17th in the majors in OPS (.705), while the Padres are ninth with a .738 OPS.

Two of their last three encounters at Petco Park have been proper firecrackers (10-8 and 12-1), while the other one has produced seven runs in the total. If their relievers continue with a shaky performance, the Braves and Padres should combine for at least nine runs.

Pick: Go over 8.5 runs at +105