Pirates vs Padres Preview: Can Paul Skenes Find His Form Again?
Updated August 25, 2026
Updated August 25, 2026
The Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres meet Tuesday night at Petco Park with very different postseason outlooks. San Diego enters the matchup at 71-61 and firmly in the National League Wild Card race, while Pittsburgh sits at 64-69 and needs a major turnaround to get back into contention. The pitching matchup should keep the focus on run prevention, with Paul Skenes taking the mound for Pittsburgh against Michael King of San Diego. King has posted a 3.08 ERA since the beginning of July and has completed at least six innings in seven of his last nine starts, setting the stage for a potentially low-scoring game.
This matchup sets up as a low-scoring game from the outset. Skenes has the strikeout ability and previous success against San Diego to keep the Padres' offense under control, while King has been one of the steadier starters in baseball over the past two months. If both starters work six or more innings, the number of opportunities for a high-scoring bullpen game will be significantly reduced.
The Pirates' inconsistent offense is another major reason to favor the Under. Pittsburgh will have difficulty putting together multiple-run innings against King, while San Diego should have to work for its runs against Skenes. A projected final score in the range of San Diego 4, Pittsburgh 3 would stay below the 7.5-run total, making the Under our primary Pirates vs Padres prediction.
Skenes remains one of the most talented young pitchers in baseball, but his recent velocity decline has become an important storyline. He enters Tuesday with a 3.95 ERA and 171 strikeouts, and Pittsburgh recently gave him eight days of rest in an effort to help him recover from a difficult stretch. The extra rest could be particularly important against a Padres lineup that has been producing at a high level.
There is also reason for optimism. Skenes dominated San Diego earlier this season, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning while striking out six on April 7. His combination of swing-and-miss stuff and a deep arsenal gives him a strong chance to limit the Padres even if his fastball is not quite at its peak.
The stakes are considerably higher for San Diego. The Padres are coming off a sweep of Minnesota and have established themselves as a legitimate Wild Card contender, entering the series with a two-game advantage over Arizona for the NL's third Wild Card position. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, is well outside the playoff picture and is primarily playing for momentum and development down the stretch.
That situation favors San Diego, but it also puts the pressure on them going into this game. The Pirates will be able to play like they have nothing to lose, which could help them in a strange way.
The biggest obstacle to an Over 7.5 ticket is Pittsburgh's difficulty generating consistent offense against quality right-handed pitching. Oneil Cruz provides legitimate power at the top of the lineup, while Bryan Reynolds and Brandon Lowe give the Pirates additional offensive threats, but San Diego has the pitching depth to keep Pittsburgh from stringing together big innings. Statcast data shows Cruz has produced a .362 expected wOBA and a .501 expected slugging percentage, making him particularly dangerous if King makes mistakes.
King's recent form is the counterpoint. His 3.08 ERA since July and ability to work deep into games should limit Pittsburgh's opportunities against the Padres' bullpen. Petco Park also tends to reward pitchers, making it difficult for either offense to turn ordinary contact into extra-base hits.
