Padres vs Royals Prediction MLB Picks for Today 5/15

© Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Game Preview: Royals vs Padres (May 15, 2023) Pregame

It's a battle of the American League Central versus the National League West as the Kansas City Royals take on the San Diego Padres on May 15, 2023. Both teams have had their ups and downs this season, with the Royals currently sitting in last place in their division and the Padres struggling to maintain a .500 record. 

Royals: Pitching Analysis

The Kansas City Royals currently have a 12-30 record and are sitting at fourth place in the American League Central standings. One of the reasons for their struggles this season has been their pitching staff. Let's take a closer look at their pitching performances so far. The Probable Pitcher for the Royals in the game against the San Diego Padres on May 15, 2023, is Brad Keller. Keller has a 3-3 record with a 4.31 ERA and a WHIP of 1.76. He has pitched for a total of 38.2 innings, giving up 38 hits, 23 runs, and 20 walks while striking out 29 batters. Michael Wacha will be the Probable Pitcher for the Padres. He has a 3-1 record with a 4.82 ERA and a WHIP of 1.34. Wacha has pitched for a total of 37.1 innings, giving up 41 hits, 22 runs, and 13 walks while striking out 30 batters. The Royals' pitching staff has a team ERA of 5.28, which ranks 28th in the MLB. Their bullpen has also struggled, with a 5.83 ERA, which ranks 29th in the MLB. The team has given up a total of 204 runs, which is the fourth-highest in the league. They have also allowed 65 home runs, which is the fifth-highest. The Royals have a WHIP of 1.44, which ranks 26th in the MLB. In terms of individual performances, Brad Keller has been one of the Royals' best pitchers this season. He has a 3-3 record with a 4.31 ERA and a WHIP of 1.76. Josh Staumont has also been solid out of the bullpen, posting a 3.38 ERA and recording 26 strikeouts in 16 innings pitched. Overall, the Royals' pitching staff will need to improve if they want to turn their season around. They will face a tough challenge against the Padres on May 15, but if they can put together a strong pitching performance, they may be able to secure a win. MLB picks experts suggest that the Royals will be underdogs in this matchup. Nonetheless, the team can utilize the players mentioned above to try and pull off an upset.

Royals: Hitting Analysis

With the Royals struggling to find consistency at the plate this season, MLB picks experts and MLB picks and parlay analysts may be hesitant to back them in today's game against the Padres. The Royals are currently ranked 29th in the league in batting average, hitting just .236 as a team. Their 4.07 runs per game also ranks just 24th in the league. However, there are some bright spots on the Royals' offense. Catcher Salvador Perez is having a strong season, leading the team with 9 home runs and a .301 batting average. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts is also contributing, hitting .265 with a .356 on-base percentage and a .430 slugging percentage. As for the Padres, they have a solid offense led by left-fielder Juan Soto, who has 7 home runs and 20 RBI on the season while hitting .255. However, their pitching may be what gives them an advantage in today's game. 

Padres: Pitching Analysis

Michael Wacha of the Padres is set to take the mound against Brad Keller of the Royals. Wacha has a record of 3-1 with an ERA of 4.82, WHIP of 1.34, and a total of 37 strikeouts. Keller, on the other hand, has a record of 3-3 with an ERA of 3.31, WHIP of 1.76, and a total of 29 strikeouts. MLB picks odds are favoring the Padres due to their current home game advantage and their dominant pitching line-up. However, with the Royals' strong defense and batting leaders such as Salvador Perez and Juan Soto, anything could happen on the field. As the game approaches, fans and analysts alike will be eagerly watching to see who comes out on top.

Padres: Hitting Analysis

The Padres have been performing well with their offense, making them the best MLB bets today with their powerful lineup. MLB picks with spread and MLB picks for today both heavily favor the Padres due to their strong batting averages and run production. Their opponent, the Royals, have been struggling with their offense, making them unlikely to score many runs in the upcoming game. In terms of odds, the Padres are expected to win with a 62.7% chance of victory according to analytics. Despite being the favorites, the Padres will need to maintain their offensive prowess if they want to take home the win against the Royals.

Injury Report:

The Kansas City Royals and San Diego Padres have both been dealing with injuries to key players. The Royals have placed third baseman Nicky Lopez on the 10-day IL, while pitcher Daniel Lynch is on the 15-day IL. The Padres, on the other hand, have placed pitcher Drew Pomeranz on the 15-day IL, as well as outfielders David Dahl and Jose Azocar and catcher Luis Campusano on the 10-day IL. Nabil Crismatt is also on the 15-day IL for the Padres. These injuries could potentially impact the teams' performance and affect MLB picks made by experts. It will be interesting to see how they handle these injuries and adjust their game strategies accordingly.

Prediction