The Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres meet Thursday for Opening Day. First pitch from Petco Park is scheduled for 9:40 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Rockies vs. Padres odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: First meeting of 2023. Padres won the season series 10-9 in 2022.
Colorado is expected to have another “rockie” season in 2023 that won’t be made any easier playing in the same division as the free-spending Los Angeles Dodgers, the new-look and high-priced Padres and the San Francisco Giants. The Rockies are likely to be battling the Arizona Diamondbacks to avoid the NL West cellar.
The Padres already potent lineup added free-agent SS Xander Bogaerts to the mix, joining big boppers OF Juan Soto, 3B Manny Machado, 1B Jake Cronenworth and DH Matt Carpenter in a star-studded lineup. OF Fernando Tatis Jr. will also be in the mix soon once his suspension from last season is finished in late April.
Top to bottom, this is a ridiculous lineup, and the pitching isn’t too shabby, either. LHP Blake Snell takes the ball on Opening Day, and he is joined in the rotation by RHPs Yu Darvish, Nick Martinez and Michael Wacha, and Joe Musgrove (fractured toe), once he is healthy.
[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]
[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]
[betwidget_tipico]
Rockies at Padres projected starters
RHP German Marquez vs. LHP Blake Snell
Marquez (9-13, 4.95 ERA in 2022) posted a 1.37 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9 and 7.4 K/9 through 181 2/3 IP across 31 starts last season.
- Went 7-7 with a 3.43 ERA and .204 opponent batting average (OBA) with 70 K over 94 1/3 IP in 15 road starts vs. 2-6 with a 6.70 ERA and .317 BAA across 87 1/3 IP in 16 home outings
- Was 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA with 2 HR allowed and 13 K across 12 IP in 2 starts vs. San Diego in 2022
Snell (8-10, 3.38 ERA in 2022) posted a 1.20 WHIP, 3.6 BB/9 and 12.0 K/9 across 128 IP in 24 starts last season.
- Was 1-4 with a 4.79 ERA and 47 K in 35 2/3 IP in 7 starts and 1 relief appearance in daytime games in 2022
- Went 4-8 with a 3.56 ERA and .227 OBA with 108 K in 81 IP across 15 home outings in ’22
- Posted a 1-1 record, 5.31 ERA and .250 OBA with 12 BB and 26 K across 20 1/3 IP in 4 starts vs. Colorado in 2022
Rockies at Padres odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:53 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Rockies +180 (bet $100 to win $180) | Padres -210 (bet $210 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Rockies +1.5 (-125) | Padres -1.5 (+105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 7.5 (O: -106 | U: -114)
Win your fantasy baseball league with BaseballHQ.com. For decades, BHQ has been helping players just like you win! Use the couple code SBW23 for $15 OFF a Draft Prep or full-season subscription. New customer offer; expires 4/30/2023. Subscribe today and start winning!
Rockies at Padres picks and predictions
Prediction
Padres 6, Rockies 2
Moneyline
The Padres (-210) will cost you more than 2 times your potential return, and that’s just a little too expensive for a singular moneyline play — although it is acceptable to include in a multi-team parlay.
PASS.
Run line/Against the spread
The PADRES -1.5 (+105) have the offense to pound almost any pitcher any day. Marquez posted some impressive numbers on the road last season, and he handled himself okay against the Padres, so go with a half-unit play at most Thursday. The Rockies were a thorn in the side of San Diego all season last year.
Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!
Over/Under
OVER 7.5 (-105) is also worth playing lightly. The Over cashed in 4 of the final 5 meetings between these NL West combatants last season. In this Opening Day affair, we have a couple of pitchers who are good but not great and a powerful San Diego offense. We should see at least 8 total runs if not a few more.
[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]
For sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Plus, try out the USA TODAY Parlay Calculator and please gamble responsibly.
Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Additional MLB coverage:
BaseballHQ Fantasy Baseball
BaseballPress.com: Your source for every MLB lineup
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1372]