The San Diego Padres begin a three-game series against the Houston Astros on Friday, April 18, at Daikin Park. First pitch is set for 8:10 PM ET. This is an interleague matchup between two teams heading in opposite directions early in the 2025 season.
San Diego holds the best record in baseball at 15-4, while Houston sits at 8-10 and has not won back-to-back games all year. The Padres are coming off a series win over the Cubs. The Astros dropped two of three to the Cardinals and continue to search for consistency on offense and on the mound.
Padres Preview – Best Record in Baseball for a Reason
The Padres are off to a 15-4 start and are getting production from top to bottom. Fernando Tatis Jr. has been one of the league’s top hitters, and Manny Machado and Jake Cronenworth both have an OPS+ above 150. The lineup ranks among the top ten in walk rate and runs per game.
Even with injuries to key players like Cronenworth and Jackson Merrill, San Diego’s offense hasn’t slowed. They are scoring 4.63 runs per game and allowing just 2.68. The bullpen has been dominant with a 1.94 ERA and a WHIP under 1.00. Eight different relievers have ERAs under 2.00, led by Robert Suarez, Jason Adam, and Jeremiah Estrada.
Kyle Hart (2-0, 5.40 ERA) will make his fourth start of the year. He pitched six scoreless innings in his last outing against the Rockies. Earlier in the month, he gave up five runs in less than an inning, but rebounded well. This will be his first career appearance against Houston and just his fourth career major league start overall.
Astros Preview – Still Looking to Find a Rhythm
The Astros are 8-10 and have not been able to string wins together. Their offense ranks near the bottom of the league in batting average (.216), slugging (.317), and OPS (.617). Jose Altuve, Jeremy Peña, and Yainer Diaz are trying to carry the offense, but run support has been hard to come by.
Houston has also been hit by a long list of injuries, especially to the starting rotation. Luis Garcia, Cristian Javier, Spencer Arrighetti, and Lance McCullers Jr. are all out. Rookie Ryan Gusto (1-1, 3.00 ERA) gets the start Friday. He has made just one MLB start, allowing three runs in four innings in a loss to the Angels. Gusto was strong out of the bullpen before that, with a 1.13 ERA in four relief outings.
The bullpen has been solid despite the team’s struggles. Josh Hader has allowed one run over nine innings. Steven Okert and Bennett Sousa have been strong from the left side. Bryan Abreu and Tayler Scott have struggled with walks and hits, but the group overall holds a 2.89 ERA.
Betting Prediction
San Diego enters this game as one of the hottest teams in baseball. They are getting contributions from both starters and relievers. Hart had a bounce-back start his last time out, and the Padres offense continues to get on base and hit for power. They also lead the league in bullpen ERA and WHIP.
Houston has struggled to put together full games. The lineup hasn’t shown much power and has struggled against both lefties and righties. Gusto is still adjusting to a starting role. If the Padres are patient, they should wear him down and get into the bullpen early. San Diego looks like the better team on both sides of the ball. Padres win easily.
Pick: San Diego Padres -1.5 over Houston Astros
