The Atlanta Braves are set to face the San Diego Padres in the wild-card round of the National League 2024 MLB playoffs at Petco Park in San Diego. Game 1 of this series will take place on Tuesday, October 1, at 5:38 p.m. MST, and it can be viewed on ESPN.
The Padres enter the matchup as a 1.5-run favorite, with odds from BetMGM Sportsbook indicating they are -175 on the moneyline, while the Braves sit at +145. The expected run total for the game is seven runs.
In terms of series odds, the Padres are favored at -185 to advance, while the Braves have +150 odds.
Predictions for the game have been shared by various sports analysts. Sportsbook Wire predicts a Padres win with a score of 4-2, noting the challenge the Braves face with their pitching situation. FOX Sports projects a closer game, favoring the Padres 5-4, based on their strong performance when favored this season. ESPN gives the Padres a 63.3% chance of victory in Game 1, leaving Atlanta with a 36.7% chance.
When it comes to the overall series outlook, MLB.com and The Athletic both predict that the Padres will emerge victorious over the Braves. Analysts note that despite the Braves’ ability to reach the playoffs despite injuries to key players, the Padres boast a well-rounded team with a strong performance following the All-Star break. Bleacher Report also forecasts a Padres victory in the series, highlighting their successful second half of the season and a solid pitching rotation for the postseason.