Colorado Rockies (0-0) vs. San Diego Padres (0-0)
March 30, 2023 4:10 pm EDT
The Line: San Diego Padres -217 / Colorado Rockies +150; Over/Under: 7
(Get latest betting odds)
The Colorado Rockies and the San Diego Padres meet Thursday in MLB action from Petco Park. Colorado is coming off a disappointing campaign last year, going 68-94 overall for a fifth-place finish in the National League West. As for San Diego, they went 89-73 last season for a second-place NL West finish. The Padres made it to the league championship where they lost to the Phillies. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.
Colorado Rockies
The Rockies had a forgettable campaign in 2022. The result was last place by a six-game margin in the NL West on a 68-94 record. Colorado was a full 19 games out of the Wild Card running as well, and went just 27-54 in games away from Coors Field.
As the starter in the Thursday opener, the Rockies will send out German Marquez. Last year Marquez went 9-13 with a 4.95 ERA. He managed 150 strikeouts in 31 games across 181.2 total innings. He carried a 3-0 record with a 0.53 ERA in Spring Training this year.
San Diego Padres
Over on the Padres’ side, they had better results in the 2022 campaign with an 89-73 run for a second-place finish in the National League West. That result was good enough for a Wild Card berth, and San Diego made it all the way to the National League Championship Series after beating the Mets and upsetting the 111-win Dodgers.
Blake Snell will take the mound for the starter gig on Thursday for the Padres. Last season Snell managed an 8-10 record with a 3.38 ERA in 24 games. He added 171 strikeouts in 128.0 innings. Snell went 1-1 with a 5.63 ERA in four games over Spring Training.
The Rockies are 7-3 in their last 10 versus a lefty starter and 4-12 in their last 16 overall. Colorado is 23-53 in their last 76 road games.
Meanwhile, the Padres are 18-5 in their last 23 after an off day and 5-2 in their last seven at home. San Diego is 1-4 in their last five overall.
ANDREW’S FREE PICK
I’m going to stick with San Diego. The Padres had a whirlwind offseason, signing a plethora of talent after the departures of names like Sean Manaea, Josh Bell, Wil Myers and several others. The result is a great-looking lineup that’s generated plenty of World Series chatter. Juan Soto, Xander Bogaerts and Manny Machado combine for a formidable top of the order, and in general the team’s bats should provide plenty of room for Marquez in this opener.
As for Colorado, they’ve got their sights set on the future—especially with the fresh crop of injuries the team has had to deal with in Spring Training. Marquez should keep the team within striking distance while he’s out there, but I don’t think the Rockies will keep up with the Padres’ bats in this one.
