Diamondbacks vs Padres Picks and Prediction – 7/9/2025

On Tuesday, the Arizona Diamondbacks (44-46) face off against the San Diego Padres (48-41) at Petco Park in San Diego, California. Keep up to date with all the MLB action, with our expert MLB picks.

San Diego comes into this matchup on a one-game winning streak and has won three of their last five games prior to their series opener against Arizona. In Sunday’s 4-1 victory over the Rangers, Fernando Tatis Jr. played a key role for the Padres, going 2-for-3 at the plate with one run scored and one RBI. Tatis Jr. has been a consistent power threat for San Diego throughout the season, currently leading the team with 15 home runs. Close behind him is Manny Machado, who ranks second on the team with 14 home runs. Machado has also been the Padres' top run producer, driving in 52 runs so far this year. Luis Arraez stands out as San Diego’s most reliable hitter in terms of batting average, posting a .292 mark for the season. Despite some individual successes, the Padres' offense has been somewhat inconsistent lately, averaging 3.6 runs per game over their last five contests. This recent stretch has kept them tied with the San Francisco Giants for the third National League Wild Card slot, making each game increasingly important as playoff races tighten. Looking ahead, San Diego hopes to separate itself from a tightly packed NL playoff field as the team continues its current homestand. Overall, the Padres are scoring an average of 4.1 runs per game, and will be aiming to boost that production in this series.

Arizona enters this game on a one-game losing streak and has dropped four of their last five games prior to their series opener against San Diego. In Sunday’s 4-0 defeat against the Royals, Diamondbacks pitcher Anthony DeSclafani went four innings on the mound, surrendering four hits and four earned runs, while impressively issuing no walks and striking out six batters. Offensively, Eugenio Suarez has been Arizona’s biggest power threat this season, topping the team with 28 home runs as well as leading the club with 73 RBIs. Corbin Carroll has also contributed significantly, ranking second on the team with 20 home runs so far this year. When it comes to batting average, Josh Naylor leads the Diamondbacks, hitting .298 over the course of the season. On the defensive side, Arizona’s pitching staff has struggled lately, giving up an average of 5.4 runs per game over their last five contests. As a result, the Diamondbacks currently trail both the Padres and the Giants by four and a half games for the third spot in the NL Wild Card race. With their pitching staff looking to rebound, they'll turn their focus to an important series at Petco Park. Despite recent struggles on the mound, the Diamondbacks have maintained a solid offensive output this year, averaging 5.1 runs per game overall.

Last month, the Diamondbacks managed to win two out of three games in their series against the Padres. As the teams meet again, Arizona will aim to repeat that performance, while San Diego is determined to reverse the outcome and come out on top this time. However, Arizona faces some challenges heading into the matchup, especially with their recent struggles on the mound. The Diamondbacks' pitching staff has encountered significant issues over their last several games, allowing more runs than usual and struggling with consistency. This could spell trouble against the Padres’ lineup, which features several powerful hitters capable of racking up runs quickly. On the starting pitching front, Arizona will turn to Merrill Kelly, who has posted a solid 7-4 record with a 3.55 ERA so far this season. Across the field, San Diego will counter with Nick Pivetta, who has put together an impressive 9-2 record and a 3.25 ERA, establishing himself as one of the more reliable arms in their rotation. Final Score Prediction, San Diego Padres win 7-2.