Padres vs Rockies Prediction - MLB Picks 8/1/23

Padres Player Trends & Props

• Juan Soto had multiple hits in three of the last four games, and he leads the Pads in home runs (20) and RBI (64), with 100 hits.

• Manny Machado brings a seven-game hit streak into this contest, and he’s posting strong splits of .261/20/62. 

• Fernando Tatis has been kind of inconsistent lately, but he did homer during the sweep of Texas, and he’s batting .271, with 18 home runs and 53 runs batted in. 

• Xander Bogaerts has recorded a hit in 15 of the last 17 games, and leads SD with 100 hits.

• Ha-Seong Kim has collected a hit in nine of the previous ten games, and he leads the Pads in batting (.282), with 39 RBI.

Rockies Preview & Projected Starter 

Colorado moved to 42-64 after defeating San Diego. The Rockies walked off on the Padres last night, and they’ll look to win a third consecutive game for the first time since early June. The Colorado offense is scoring 4.5 runs per game, while batting .256, with a .317 on-base percentage. The pitching staff carries a 4.70 ERA, with a 1.43 WHIP. 

Peter Lambert (2-1, 4.76, 41 Ks) will get the call for Colorado. The third-year pitcher has looked good through two post-All Star break road starts in DC and Miami, holding both the Nats and Marlins scoreless through eleven combined frames. Lambert will now have to return to Coors Field, where the air will pick up and his ERA likely will as well. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but that’s life as a pitcher in Denver. Lambert was solid in a spot start versus the Pads at home back in June, striking out four in three innings, but he allowed two runs and the Rocks eventually lost the game, so he’ll seek different results here Tuesday.

Rockies Player Trends & Props

• Ryan McMahon had himself a game last night, doubling, homering, and providing the walkoff sacrifice fly to secure the victory for the Rockies. McMahon has plated runs in four of the last five games, and he leads Colorado in hits (98), home runs (17), and RBI (52). 

• Elias Diaz has reached base in five straight contests, and he’s posting solid splits behind the plate of .270/10/48.

• Game one marked the first contests with leading hitter Randal Grichuk or slugger CJ Cron in the batting order.

• Brendan Rodgers, who’s churned out a pair of solid seasons in Colorado, returned to lineup and provided a hit in last night’s win.  

Corey’s Free Pick

Last night’s performance makes you wish Ryan McMahon was saved at the trade deadline too, and it was also a sign of the limitations within the Rockies without the presences CJ Cron and Randal Grichuk. They might not get so lucky in game two, as the Padres have to turn things around sooner rather than later. San Diego could get away with playing this way in the AL Central, but now in the NL West, and if they keep dropping games, they may find a permanent home in fourth place. Look for a bounce back effort from the Pads’ bats here at Coors, and roll with them for this divisional battle.