logo
Nationals square off against the Padres with series tied 1-1

Nationals square off against the Padres with series tied 1-1

San Diego Padres (53-45, second in the NL West) vs. Washington Nationals (39-59, fifth in the NL East)
Washington; Sunday, 1:35 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Padres: Nick Pivetta (9-2, 2.88 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 122 strikeouts); Nationals: MacKenzie Gore (4-8, 3.02 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 138 strikeouts)
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Padres -117, Nationals -103; over/under is 8 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres play on Sunday with the three-game series tied 1-1.
Washington has a 19-29 record at home and a 39-59 record overall. The Nationals have a 22-13 record in games when they did not give up a home run.
San Diego has gone 22-27 in road games and 53-45 overall. The Padres have gone 35-17 in games when they record at least eight hits.
Sunday's game is the sixth time these teams meet this season. The Padres are ahead 3-2 in the season series.
TOP PERFORMERS: James Wood leads the Nationals with 24 home runs while slugging .523. Brady House is 12 for 39 with two home runs and five RBIs over the last 10 games.
Manny Machado leads the Padres with 18 home runs while slugging .489. Xander Bogaerts is 13 for 33 with two doubles and an RBI over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nationals: 2-8, .234 batting average, 5.50 ERA, outscored by 28 runs
Padres: 6-4, .249 batting average, 3.13 ERA, outscored opponents by one run
INJURIES: Nationals: Trevor Williams: 60-Day IL (elbow), Keibert Ruiz: 7-Day IL (concussion), Derek Law: 60-Day IL (forearm), Dylan Crews: 10-Day IL (back), Orlando Ribalta: 15-Day IL (biceps), DJ Herz: 60-Day IL (elbow), Josiah Gray: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Padres: Michael King: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Jhony Brito: 60-Day IL (forearm), Joe Musgrove: 60-Day IL (elbow)
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

New-look Padres open three-game set against surging Red Sox
New-look Padres open three-game set against surging Red Sox

Canada News.Net

timean hour ago

  • Canada News.Net

New-look Padres open three-game set against surging Red Sox

(Photo credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images) Newcomers have already made a significant impact for San Diego, and they'll aim to continue that trend as the Padres open a three-game home series against the Boston Red Sox. Ramon Laureano has hit like a sledgehammer in his first week with the Padres, while Freddy Fermin has given them more offense from the catching position than they've had most of the year. Mason Miller has made his presence felt on an already-deep San Diego bullpen, and Nestor Cortes gave them a decent start on Wednesday night. Then Ryan O'Hearn, who came over with Laureano from Baltimore a week ago, made his first significant contribution to his new team with a ninth-inning homer that tied Wednesday night's game in Arizona. The Padres added another run in the ninth to pull out a 3-2 win. Prior to drilling his first homer off a left-handed pitcher this year, O'Hearn had just a single to show for his first 12 at-bats with San Diego. The American League's starting designated hitter in the All-Star Game last month needed something good to happen. 'Just got to keep going, keep getting comfortable, keep grinding out at-bats and hopefully continue to contribute,' O'Hearn said. 'To do something finally felt good.' The Padres come into the series with nine wins in 11 games and have crawled within two games of the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West. They have also jumped over the New York Mets for the second wild-card spot and have drawn within 2 1/2 games of the Chicago Cubs for the first wild card, which opens the postseason at home. San Diego will try to keep the momentum going behind Nick Pivetta (11-3, 2.73 ERA). He last pitched on Aug. 1, allowing just one hit and one run in seven innings of a 4-1 win over St. Louis. Pivetta, who walked none and fanned five that night, has permitted just one run in 13 innings in two previous starts against Boston, where he pitched the last 4 1/2 seasons. The Red Sox will counter with Walker Buehler (6-6, 5.74 ERA), who was no-decisioned on Saturday in his team's 7-3 victory over Houston. Buehler gave up nine hits and three runs in 4 1/3 innings, walking three and whiffing none -- the first time this season he failed to record a strikeout. He's 6-1 with a 1.80 ERA in 12 career starts against the Padres. Boston manager Alex Cora said Buehler is better than he's pitched this year. The former Dodger mainstay has permitted at least three earned runs in nine of his last 11 outings. 'This guy is too important for us,' Cora said. 'He knows he's better than this and we know he's better than this.' Buehler's uneven performance has been one of the few problems lately for the Red Sox, who won seven straight games prior to Wednesday night's 7-3 home loss to Kansas City. Boston trails Toronto by four games in the American League East and owns the top wild-card spot by one game over Seattle. The Red Sox's trade of Rafael Devers to San Francisco in June, which was widely criticized by national media, has turned out to be addition by subtraction. Boston is 27-16 since the deal and is scoring more runs than it did with Devers while playing better defense. San Diego won two of three games in last year's series at Fenway Park.

How many Schwarbombs can Kyle Schwarber hit? 50? 60? Phillies slugger on-team record HR pace
How many Schwarbombs can Kyle Schwarber hit? 50? 60? Phillies slugger on-team record HR pace

Winnipeg Free Press

time9 hours ago

  • Winnipeg Free Press

How many Schwarbombs can Kyle Schwarber hit? 50? 60? Phillies slugger on-team record HR pace

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ryan Howard hit home runs as far and as fast as any slugger of his era. He's still the only player to sock one completely into the third deck in 22 years of Citizens Bank Park — and he did it twice. So how about it, Ryan. Who would win in a home run derby in their primes between two of the best Phillies to ever launch 'em over the fence? Howard — the only Phillie to top 50 homers in a season, when he totaled 58 in 2006 — or current sensation Kyle Schwarber? Schwarber leads the National League with 40 homers, and No. 40 came in style, a grand slam as he dug in to roaring 'MVP! MVP!' chants. 'It'd be a tight one,' Howard said. 'Young Howie put some balls in the seats. Schwarbs is nothing to sneeze at.' Schwarber's 40 homers this season put him well ahead of the pace to best his career-high of 47 set in 2023, one better than the 46 he hit in 2022 in the first season of a four-year, $79 million free-agent contract. Howard's team mark of 58 remains in play if Schwarber keeps scorching balls like he has since he won All-Star Game MVP honors after he hit three homers in the game's first-ever swing-off. Schwarber has 10 homers — dubbed Schwarbombs that have made him arguably the most popular franchise star — since the break for the Phillies, who lead the NL East as they get set to open a 10-game road trip on Friday in Texas. Howard hit 198 homers from 2006 to 2009 and helped the Phillies win the 2008 World Series before his career was cut short by injury. It's the ring he treasures most these days. But he looks back now in admiration of his record 2006 season, a feat he didn't necessarily enjoy as much in real time, just as he expected Schwarber to do of this season well after retirement. 'I think he'll look back and one day say, 'I hit 50 home runs, and have no clue how I did,'' Howard said. Howard might be on to something. Schwarber indeed says he has no clue why his home run total has been going, going, gone through the roof at this point of the season. 'You go into every year in the offseason and you try and find ways to keep getting better,' he said. 'It's not like I went into the offseason saying I want to try and hit more home runs or anything like that. I think it's just trying to be consistent with what you're doing. The more consistency you can find in your swing and in your work, I think that will lead to results on the field.' His results are a key reason why the Phillies are on track to make the playoffs for the fourth straight season. He hit 40 homers in the Phillies' first 112 games — one more than Howard over the first 112 games of 2006. His .965 OPS is third in baseball and he leads baseball with 94 RBIs. Schwarber has played every game this season, almost exclusively as the designated hitter. Perhaps no moment so far this season has been as automatic an entry into the season highlight video as his game Monday against Baltimore. Schwarber had already connected on a two-run home run deep in the second deck. The crowd of 41,099 fans were in a Schwarbomb frenzy when he came to the plate in the sixth. He heard the MVP chants as he sent one into the right-center seats off Yaramil Hiraldo for his ninth career grand slam and second of the season. 'Those are the moments that you take in as a player,' Schwarber said. 'Those are special things that happen and that kind of just go in the back of the memory. Hold on to those things for a while. It was obviously a really cool thing and I appreciate it.' Schwarber's production raises two pivotal questions down the stretch; Can a designated hitter in the National League not named Shohei Ohtani win MVP and just how much of the bank will Schwarber break when the impending free agent signs his new deal? Schwarber and the Phillies failed to reach a deal ahead of the season and contract talks were tabled until after the season. Phillies managing partner John Middleton has remained steadfast in his commitment to wanting Schwarber back. 'We need no motivation whatsoever when it comes to Kyle Schwarber,' Middleton said in July. 'He's great. We thought he was great when we signed him years ago. We thought he was great consistently through the years. There's nothing Kyle does that surprises us.' Schwarber could command a new deal that would place him among the highest-paid players in the game. Fair enough, perhaps, for what's he accomplished over his four seasons in Philadelphia. But can a player who turns 33 ahead of next season really be counted on to club 40-plus homers a season deep into his 30s without adding any defensive value? Maybe if that player wins an MVP (oh, and a World Series). Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Ohtani last season became the first primary designated hitter and first player who didn't appear defensively for a single inning to win an MVP. The Los Angeles Dodgers star remained the favorite in 2025 to win another one, with Schwarber a distant second, per BetMGM Sportsbook. But hitting 50 homers — do we hear 60? — is still very much in play for Schwarber even if he's not sure how he's doing it. 'Sometimes it's just one of those things where you're just in it,' Howard said, 'and it just happens.' ___ AP MLB:

Edwards leads Marlins against the Braves following 4-hit performance
Edwards leads Marlins against the Braves following 4-hit performance

Winnipeg Free Press

time17 hours ago

  • Winnipeg Free Press

Edwards leads Marlins against the Braves following 4-hit performance

Miami Marlins (56-57, third in the NL East) vs. Atlanta Braves (47-66, fourth in the NL East) Atlanta; Thursday, 7:15 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Marlins: Eury Perez (4-3, 2.70 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 51 strikeouts); Braves: Carlos Carrasco (2-2, 5.68 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 30 strikeouts) BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Braves -115, Marlins -105; over/under is 8 1/2 runs BOTTOM LINE: The Miami Marlins play the Atlanta Braves after Xavier Edwards' four-hit game on Wednesday. Atlanta is 26-29 at home and 47-66 overall. The Braves are 40-16 in games when they out-hit their opponents. Miami is 28-26 in road games and 56-57 overall. Marlins hitters are batting a collective .252, which ranks fifth in the NL. The matchup Thursday is the sixth meeting between these teams this season. The Marlins hold a 3-2 advantage in the season series. TOP PERFORMERS: Kyle Stowers has 18 doubles, three triples and 25 home runs for the Marlins. Edwards is 13 for 41 with three doubles, a triple and three RBIs over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Braves: 3-7, .231 batting average, 5.63 ERA, outscored by 14 runs Marlins: 6-4, .239 batting average, 4.29 ERA, outscored by one run INJURIES: Braves: Austin Riley: 10-Day IL (abdominal), Ronald Acuna: 10-Day IL (calf), Grant Holmes: 60-Day IL (elbow), Spencer Schwellenbach: 60-Day IL (elbow), Chris Sale: 60-Day IL (rib), AJ Smith-Shawver: 60-Day IL (calf/elbow), Reynaldo Lopez: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Joe Jimenez: 60-Day IL (knee) Marlins: Jesus Tinoco: 60-Day IL (forearm), Connor Norby: 10-Day IL (wrist), Max Meyer: 60-Day IL (hip), Ryan Weathers: 60-Day IL (lat), Griffin Conine: 60-Day IL (arm), Andrew Nardi: 60-Day IL (back), Braxton Garrett: 60-Day IL (elbow) ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store