Sunday Night Baseball features a bicoastal matchup of teams currently situated in the NL playoff race. However, the San Diego Padres and New York Mets are well aware that things can change after both suffered a post All-Star break collapse last season leading to numerous changes. Both clubs appear better equipped to handle the grind this season and were positioned among the best in the senior circuit during the first half of the campaign. The clubs wrap up their regular season series after the Padres took two of three in early June scoring a total of 25 runs, an outburst for a team that’s struggled at the dish recently.
San Diego Padres at New York Mets Date & Time
The NL contest between the San Diego Padres and New York Mets takes place on Sunday, July 24, 2022 at 7:08 p.m. ET from Citi Field. The game will air live on ESPN with betting options for every game on the 2022 MLB schedule available at BookMaker.eu.
San Diego Padres at New York Mets Odds
San Diego Padres (Check Back Later)
New York Mets (Check Back Later)
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Season So Far…
That they are where they are entering the second half of the season says a lot about the franchises. The Padres have played the entire season without superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. and the offense has struggled. That also has something to do with players having an underwhelming season, but the absence of Tatis has certainly left a void. So the Pads did what they had to, which is play solid defense and pitch exceptionally well, to close the first half at 52-42.
The Padres were in a much better position a month ago sitting a season-high 17 games over .500. They closed the first half with just seven wins in 21 games with an offense that scored two runs or less 10 times in that span. The pitching also went through a funk with the staff ERA rising to 3.77. Once among the league leaders in that category, the Padres dropped out of the top-10. They have been one of the better road teams this season sporting a 27-21 record entering this series putting them $547 in the black on the moneyline.
While the Padres await the return of an explosive bat, the Mets are hopeful to have their two aces on the hill for the closing stretch. Playing the entire season without Jacob deGrom and most of it without Max Scherzer, the Metropolitans still boasted a solid staff with the sixth-best ERA and fifth-best WHIP in MLB. With a surge by the Braves cutting into their advantage in the NL East, the Mets went into Atlanta just before the break and took two of three in a critical series. They won over 62 percent of their games in the first half finishing with the second-best ledger in the NL.
The Mets are one of the most profitable teams in MLB up over $1200 on the moneyline, and they could be even better with Scherzer now back in the rotation and deGrom getting healed up for a return. The addition of Starling Marte and Mark Canha among others has helped the offense. The Mets put the ball in play boasting a top-10 ranking in runs scored and batting average helping them cash the OVER in 54.1 percent of their games, the third highest percentage in MLB.
Probable Pitchers
We always see players put together outstanding numbers in a contract year and that happens to be the case with Joe Musgrove (8-2, 2.42 ERA). Though he’s faltered lately, Musgrove was among the leaders in several categories over the first half putting together a campaign with mentions of Cy Young. He had a run of 12 straight quality starts to open the campaign going 8-0 with a 1.59 ERA in that stretch. However he is coming off the shortest stint of the season when he allowed five runs on nine hits in five innings at Colorado on July 13. He’s winless over his last four starts with a 5.04 ERA, though he did toss a perfect frame in the All-Star Game on Tuesday.
The Mets have yet to set their rotation but it’s a good bet Scherzer throws in one of the first two meetings. And if Buck Showalter sticks to his rotation we saw in the first half Carlos Carrasco or Chris Bassit would be in line for Sunday’s tilt. Those aren’t bad options since the pair kept the club afloat during the first half with Scherzer and deGrom on the shelf. Carrasco leads the team with 10 wins while Bassit is tied for second with seven.
San Diego Padres at New York Mets Predictions
The bullpens are nearly equal numbers-wise with each team having a dominant closer. The key for San Diego is getting a solid start from Musgrove, who did that nearly every time out earlier in the season. Though he hasn’t been as sharp recently the break likely helped, and the Pads average a run and a half more per game with Musgrove on the bump.
Our Prediction: San Diego Padres / UNDER
