Padres vs. Reds: Game 1 prediction, odds, injuries, and picks

The San Diego Padres lock horns with the Cincinnati Reds on Friday for the first of three games set to take place at the Great American Ball Park. Coming into this game, San Diego is second in the NL West with a 44-36 record, while the Reds are fourth in the NL Central with a 42-39 record.

Let's take a look at the odds and how the action might play out in Friday's series opener.

Padres vs Reds prediction

Taking the mound for San Diego is righty Dylan Cease, who has been decent so far this season, with a 3-6 record, along with a 4.43 ERA and 109 total strikeouts.

Dylan Cease in action against the Kansas City Royals - Source: Getty

Offensively, Manny Machado, Luis Arraez, Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. are the key players for the Friars.

For the Reds, veteran Nick Martinez makes his latest start. On paper, Martinez's numbers are quite similar to those of his counterpart, with a 4-8 record, along with a 4.40 ERA and 63 total strikeouts.

At the plate, the likes of Elly De La Cruz, Gavin Lux, Spencer Steer and TJ Friedl have enjoyed success for the Reds this year.

With the pitching matchup relatively even in this one, San Diego's offense should be able to take control at what is quite a hitter-friendly ballpark.

Prediction: San Diego Padres 6, Cincinnati Reds 4

Odds

Money Line: San Diego Padres -127, Cincinnati Reds +108

Run Line: San Diego -1.5 (+114), Cincinnati +1.5 (-152)

Total Runs: Over 8.5 (-147), Under 8.5 (+110)

Injury report

Padres injuries

Ryan Bergert: 15-day IL (Forearm)
Logan Gillaspie: 15-day IL (Oblique)
Michael King: 15-day IL (Shoulder)
Yu Darvish: 60-day IL (Elbow)
Jhony Brito: 60-day IL (Forearm)
Joe Musgrove: 60-day IL (Elbow)
Xander Bogaerts: day-to-day (Shoulder)

Reds injuries

Noelvi Marte: 10-day IL (Side)
Connor Joe: 10-day IL (Illness)
Austin Hays: 10-day IL (Foot)
Wade Miley: 15-day IL (Flexor)
Graham Ashcraft: 15-day IL (Groin)
Hunter Greene: 15-day IL (Groin)
Tyler Callihan: 60-day IL (Forearm)
Carson Spiers: 60-day IL (Shoulder)
Julian Aguiar: 60-day IL (Elbow)
Brandon Williamson: 60-day IL (Elbow)
Rhett Lowder: 60-day IL (Forearm)

Expert's picks

Both starting pitchers have struggled with keeping the runs down at times this season, so this should be a game where hitters get plenty of joy. That said, San Diego's offense, which has been a touch underwhelming recently, should be able to get into their groove again and take care of business.

Money Line: San Diego Padres -127

Run Line: San Diego -1.5 (+114)

Total Runs: Over 8.5 (-147)

About the author

Raghav Mehta is a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda awaiting results for a Bachelor's in Journalism from Delhi University. He enjoys highlighting the key battles between players at different stages of the game and analyzing the decisive moments upon which they hinge.

One of Raghav's favorite moments, which underscores this, was the Shohei Ohtani vs. Mike Trout clash in the 2023 WBC, where two of baseball's best players faced off against each other in the 9th inning. With the score 3-2 to Japan, Shohei eventually got the strikeout, which was absolute cinema.

Raghav is a Baltimore Orioles fan and is enjoying watching such an exciting young team compete at the top in a very competitive division.

Raghav has loved watching sports for as long as he can remember and realized he was pretty decent at writing his thoughts down at around the age of 14. Combining the two meant he had something he would enjoy doing every day, and he had identified that well before going to college.

Aside from work, Raghav enjoys playing sports, working out and watching movies.

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Edited by John Maxwell

Padres vs. Reds: Game 1 prediction, odds, injuries, and picks - June 27, 2025