This is a game and series where second place will be on the line in the NL West. A little like finishing second to Secretariat in the 1973 Belmont. The Dodgers are so far ahead, you would need binoculars to see them if you were the other teams in the division.
San Diego’s Walker Buehler is coming off a horrendous start against the Cubs in a 23-3 loss. His last two starts at Petco have been solid. The Padres can’t hit, and even when they do, their pitching gives up runs by the bushel. Arizona is playing mediocre baseball, but that is better than San Diego.
Brando Pfaadt is more of an opener for the DBacks than a starter. Buehler can’t be as mad as he was against the Cubs. MLB lines BetUS have the Padres at -103 and Arizona at-107.
