Braves vs Padres Game 1 Preview and Best Bet – 10/1/2024

The National League Wild Card series between the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres will begin on Tuesday, October 1 at Petco Park in San Diego. The Braves had to win their way into the playoffs on the final game of their regular season on Monday, while the Padres grabbed a Wild Card spot pretty comfortably. Here, we will break down Braves vs Padres Game 1 and determine which team has the edge in this series opener from the West coast.

Braves Look to Build On Game 162 Win

The Atlanta Braves needed all 162 games of their regular season to qualify for the MLB postseason. They split a doubleheader with the New York Mets on Monday, granting both NL East teams a spot in the playoffs at the expense of the Arizona Diamondbacks. But in the playoffs, nobody will remember that interesting final day of the regular season, and it is now time for the Braves to prove that they belong in the playoffs starting with this contest in San Diego.

For the Braves, the pitching situation is a question mark going into this game. Chris Sale was scratched from yesterday's final game due to injury, while the Braves are undecided as to who they are going to start in this game. No matter who starts, the Braves will need their bullpen to be better than it was yesterday, as they blew a lead on two occasions to the Mets in the first game of their doubleheader.

Padres Hope to Take Lead at Home

The San Diego Padres claimed the top Wild Card spot in the National League this season, leaving them clear of the dramatic final day that the Mets, Braves, and Diamondbacks went through on Monday. But now the pressure will ramp up for the Padres, as they look to win at home in this game to get themselves the lead in this Braves vs Padres Wild Card series. San Diego will look to Michael King to try and deliver them a win to open this series on the mound.

King comes into Braves vs Padres Game 1 with a record of 13-9 and an ERA of 2.95. He got a win in his last start against the LA Dodgers, which is an encouraging sign given that the Dodgers are the favorites to win the World Series going into the playoffs. But everything must be earned in the playoffs and it will be interesting to see how King performs under the bright lights of the playoffs.

Braves vs Padres Game 1 Prediction

Our best bet for Braves vs Padres Game 1 is for the game to go over 7 runs. Atlanta's pitching situation is a major question mark going into this game, while we expect some regression from King against a Braves offense that has plenty of pop in its lineup. Look for these teams to combine for at least eight runs in what should be an exciting night cap to the first day of MLB postseason action.