Wednesday is a historic day for Major League Baseball thanks to a whopping eight postseason games taking place. Among them is an afternoon matchup between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres, the fourth and fifth seeds in the National League.
Here is a preview for Game 1 of the Cardinals and Padres series. San Diego, who will host every game this series, is a favorite at -170 to win the ballgame.
Cardinals Outlook
The Cardinals had a rough go of things early on due to a COVID-19 outbreak that hit their team, leaving them with numerous double-headers in an effort to make up the games missed. But St. Louis was able to persevere and make it back to the postseason with a 30-28 record and a second-place finish in the NL Central.
While they don’t have a very explosive lineup, there are still a few bats to keep an eye on. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt is the main one, as the former All-Star hit .304 in his second season with the Redbirds. While he managed just six homers and 21 RBI, his .883 OPS and 37 walks were each team-highs.
As far as others go, designated-hitter Brad Miller and left-fielder Tyler O’Neill tied for the team-lead with seven home runs, and third baseman Tommy Edman drove in 26 runs. Longtime Cards catcher Yadier Molina and second baseman Kolten Wong will also play a factor in this series.
Game 1’s starting pitcher was a surprise to some, as manager Mike Shildt opted to go with Kwang Hyun Kim over the likes of Adam Wainwright and Jack Flaherty. In his first season since coming over from the KBO, Kim has been excellent, going 3-0 with a 1.62 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. The 32-year old lefty, who actually began the season as the closer before moving into the rotation, also has 24 strikeouts in 39 innings.
Padres Outlook
Few teams gave fans more excitement this year than the Padres. With an impressive young core and exceptional starting pitching, San Diego challenged the Dodgers in the NL West and finished second in the division with a 37-23 record. Wednesday will be this franchise’s first postseason game in 14 years.
With a lineup like this, there’s a reason why the nickname “Slam Diego” began to stick. In his second full season, shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. emerged as an MVP candidate, as the 21-year old was second in the NL with 17 home runs, fourth in RBI, second in runs, and fourth in steals.
His partner on the left side of the infield was third-baseman Manny Machado, who was third in the league with 47 RBI and fourth with 68 hits. Three other players in this lineup (right-fielder Trent Grisham, designated-hitter Wil Myers, and first-baseman Mitch Moreland) all hit double-digit homers as well.
The big question mark for the Padres this series will be the availability of Mike Clevinger and Dinelson Lamet, each of whom are day-to-day with injuries. In the meantime, first-year manager Jayce Tingler is opting to go with Chris Paddack to start Game 1. The 24-year old Paddack had a somewhat up-and-down season following his strong rookie year, going 4-5 with a 4.73 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. The righty, however, did manage 58 strikeouts in 59 innings of work.
Betting Pick
The Cardinals offense has struggled for the bulk of the season, while the Padres are among the game’s best on offense. But St. Louis will have an advantage on the mound, as Kim has been much more dependable this season than Paddack has.
Kim and the Cards are listed as too big of underdogs considering they have the advantage on the mound, so I’m picking St. Louis to steal Game 1 on Wednesday afternoon.
Pick: Cardinals +148
