The Braves will look to even their series with the Padres by sending Reynaldo Lopez to the mound He went 8-5 last season with a 1.99 ERA last season. During the Spring, he ws 1[-1 with a 2.08 WHIP in 13 innings. The Padres will counter with Dylan Cease. Last season he was 13-11 with a 3.47 ERA. During the Spring he pitched 19.1 innings going 1-0 and posting a 3.26 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. Yesterday the Braves scored four runs in the first four innings but it wasn't enough.They were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base. Lopez faced San Diego twice last season, going 0-1, allowing 6 runs in 12.1 innings on 12 hits with three walks, and nine strikeouts. The Padres scored four in the seventh to get the come from behind win. They were 3-of-9 with runners in scoring position. Cease pitched twice against the Braves going 1-0 in 10.0 innings, allowing 10 hits with six walks and 16 strikeouts. Cease has a live arm and has recorded the most strikeouts since 2023. The Braves struck out 10 times yesterday. The Padres stole five bases yesterday and expect them to do that today if they get runners on. The Padres swept the Braves in the Wildcard last season and will look to make it two in a row to start this season. Lopez is usually not great in March/April, posting a 6-8 record with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. Cease, on the other hand, has a 3.28 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in his career in Marsh/April. I like the Padres to take game two.

Play on San Diego. This is a 2% play.