Padres vs Braves Prediction 3/27/25 MLB Picks Today

The Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres meet on Thursday in MLB action at the Petco Park. Here’s a Padres vs Braves Prediction. This article will include a Padres vs Braves Pick.

Atlanta Braves Betting Preview

The Atlanta Braves won 89 games last season and have made the postseason in each of the last seven years. The Braves’ lineup is as good as any and got better with the addition of Jurickson Profar. The eventual return of MVP and four-time all-star Ronald Acuna Jr. doesn’t hurt things either.

The Braves’ pitching staff was dominant last season, and that’s with Spencer Strider pitching just nine innings. Strider could return at some point in April, while Acuna could return in May. At full strength, the Braves are more than capable of giving the Dodgers a run for their money. There are not many teams in baseball that can realistically say that.

Chris Sale gets the ball for the Braves, and he was 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA and 225 strikeouts last season. Sale is 4-0 with a 1.29 ERA and 30 strikeouts in his career against the Padres.

San Diego Padres Betting Preview

The San Diego Padres won 93 games last season and look to make the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time since 2005-06. On paper, it feels like the Padres have taken a step back, as they said goodbye to Tanner Scott, Kyle Higashioka, and Jurickson Profar, and Joe Musgrove could miss the entire season. With that said, there’s still enough here for the Padres to make a run.

Fernando Tatis Jr. is one of the best in baseball, Manny Machado is valuable with the bat and glove, and Luis Arraez and Xander Bogaerts are reliable everyday players. The addition of Nick Pivetta bolsters the starting rotation that already has You Darvish, Dylan Cease, and Michael King. The talent is there; it’s a matter of the Padres showing up when it counts, which hasn’t been the case lately. The Padres will face the Guardians after this series.

Michael King gets the ball for the Padres, and he was 13-9 with a 2.95 ERA and 201 strikeouts last season. This will be King’s second career game against the Braves.

Why the San Diego Padres will win

• The Padres have won four of their last five games as home underdogs against National League opponents.
• The Braves have lost each of their last four games against NL West opponents.
• The Braves have trailed after 3 innings in each of their last four games at Petco Park.
• The Braves have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last three games against NL West opponents.

Why the Atlanta Braves will win

• The Braves have won four of their last five day games against National League opponents.
• The Padres have lost each of their last three season openers.
• The Braves have led after 3 innings in each of their last three games as favorites against National League opponents.
• The Braves have won the first inning in each of their last three games as favorites against NL West opponents.
• The Braves have led after 5 innings in nine of their last 10 games as favorites against National League opponents.

Padres vs Braves Injury Report

The Braves won’t have Spencer Strider or Ronald Acuna Jr. to start the season.

The Padres won’t have Joe Musgrove or Yu Darvish to start the season.

Padres vs Braves Prediction

It’s one of the better series to start the season, and you can make a case for either side, given the Braves and Padres are in the contender conversation. I have to lean toward the Padres and the plus money. In a toss-up game, I want the more valuable price. The Padres’ lineup is also healthier than the Braves out of the gate.

Also, King has been money over the last three seasons, where he has a 2.79 ERA and 1.14 WHIP over his last 329.1 innings. King is also coming off his best season yet, where he had a 4.1 WAR and finished seventh in the CY Young voting. I can’t turn down the Padres and the more favorable price at home with an ace on the bump.