- The Padres are home favorites as they open their 2021 MLB season against the Diamondbacks
- San Diego ended years of futility with a trip to the postseason last year, while Arizona opens the new campaign aiming to improve on a last-place finish in the NL West
- We’ve got you covered with all the odds and trends ahead of the NL West opening day matchup at Petco Park
The San Diego Padres look to build on last season’s successful march to the postseason when they kick of the 2021 MLB campaign against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks as heavy -235 favorites.
Yu Darvish is expected to make his San Diego debut in Thursday’s contest, while the Diamondbacks will counter with southpaw ace Madison Bumgarner, as they prepare to hit the diamond as +195 underdogs. Arizona has plenty of work to do to return to contention after closing out last season at the bottom of the NL West standings, but produced a steady 5-5 record in 10 dates with the Padres last season.
Here’s a look at the Diamondbacks vs Padres odds and trends ahead of this opening day clash at Petco Park on Thursday afternoon at 4:10 pm ET.
Diamondbacks vs Padres Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Runline at DraftKings | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Diamondbacks | +195 | +1.5 (-110) | O 8.5 (-103) |
| San Diego Padres | -235 | -1.5 (-110) | U 8.5 (-120) |
*Odds as of March 31st
Diamondbacks Coming Off Dismal Spring
The Diamondbacks look to have a mountain to climb as the MLB regular season gets underway. Arizona endured a disappointing Cactus League campaign, which the team closed out with just two wins in their final 13 outings. The club particularly struggled through the final week of spring training, surrendering 6.33 runs per game over their final six outings, with Diamondbacks starters getting roughed up early and often during that stretch.
ICYMI-Willson and Nico hit long balls, Heyward and Joc drove in runs, Davies did well and the bullpen shut it down as the #Cubs win the Cactus League finale 7-1 pic.twitter.com/XmRcE8nfOJ
— Crawly's Cubs Kingdom (@crawlyscubs) March 30, 2021
Arizona ace Madison Bumgarner did not escape the club’s struggles, turning in his worst start of the spring last time out. The 31-year-old was rocked for six earned runs on six hits and eight walks in just 5.1 innings of work in a 7-3 loss to Cincinnati last Friday.
Padres Career Stats vs Bumgarner
| Player | AVG | AB | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Caratini | .333 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Trent Grisham | .000 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Eric Hosmer | .111 | 18 | 0 | 3 |
| Manny Machado | .250 | 24 | 3 | 4 |
| Wil Myers | .237 | 38 | 4 | 6 |
| Tommy Pham | .000 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Jurickson profar | .250 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Fernando Tatis Jr. | .545 | 11 | 2 | 4 |
Bumgarner Seeks to Earn His Pay
Now in the second year of a mammoth five-year, $86 million contract with Arizona, Bumgarner aims to rebound from a disappointing campaign in 2020, which he ended with a 1-4 record and a career-worst 6.48 ERA. Bumgarner has also turned in mixed results vs San Diego, getting tagged for nine total earned runs in a pair of lopsided defeats last season, and earning the win in just three of his past 10 appearances against the Padres.
If you have Madison Bumgarner on your fantasy team for some reason, Thursday would be a good day to bench him.
— Padres Obsessed Wes ⚾🏳️🌈 (@PadresWes) March 29, 2021
Listed as distant +5000 longshots to win the NL West this time around, the Diamondbacks were among the worst teams in baseball when playing on the road last season, compiling a disappointing 9-21 record, and the club’s road woes when facing the Padres predate last season. Arizona has failed to earn consecutive wins in San Diego during a 2-6 run that dates back to September 2019, and have also failed to claim an Opening Day victory on the road since 2011.
Padres Eye NL West Crown
While the Diamondbacks look to turn things around, the Padres will be eyeing the top of the NL West standings as they kick off their 2021 schedule. With a retooled lineup bolstered by the additions of slugger Manny Machado and outfielder Jurickson Profar, along with the rapid emergence of budding star Fernando Tatis Jr., the Padres vaulted from their familiar position in the NL West basement to second place, and their first trip to the postseason since 2006.
We've got our 🤞 for a healthy Fernando Tatis Jr.! pic.twitter.com/m93xli3uzR
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 23, 2021
The offseason addition of Darvish and fellow starter Blake Snell bolster a Padres rotation that ranked 20th in the majors in ERA last season, and have contributed to San Diego’s rise to an intriguing +800 bet in the World Series odds.
Diamondbacks Career Stats vs Darvish
| Player | AVG | AB | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Ahmed | .000 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Asdrubal Cabrera | .125 | 8 | 1 | 2 |
| Kole Calhoun | .273 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Eduardo Escobar | .333 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| Ketel Marte | .222 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| David Peralta | .571 | 7 | 2 | 3 |
| Josh VanMeter | .250 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Stephen Vogt | .190 | 21 | 1 | 3 |
| Christian Walker | .400 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Darvish Gets the Call
Winners of 37 games last season, second only to the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers among NL teams, the Padres were also a steady bet on home turf in 2020. San Diego joined LA with an NL-leading 21 home victories last season, and has claimed victory in each of its past opening day contests at Petco Park.
Yu Darvish was asked what it means to him to be chosen to start on Opening Day: pic.twitter.com/Dn8mWFBnp2
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) March 26, 2021
Obtained from the Chicago Cubs in a blockbuster offseason deal that sent starter Zach Davies and a handful of prospects to the Windy City, Yu Darvish racked up an 8-3 record to go along with a career-best 2.01 ERA. The 34-year-old veteran finished second in Cy Young voting, and has surrendered just six total earned runs while going 3-1 in his past four starts vs Arizona. However, Darvish struggled in his only other opening day start back in 2017, allowing four earned runs on four hits and five walks, but avoiding the loss as his Texas Rangers fell 8-5 to Cleveland.
The Picks: Padres -1.5 (-110); UNDER 8.5 (-120)
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