Giants vs. Padres: Everything You Need to Know for Saturday's Game
San Francisco and San Diego square off at Petco Park, with both teams looking to climb the NL West standings.
The San Francisco Giants will face the San Diego Padres on Saturday night at Petco Park in San Diego. The game starts at 8:40 p.m. ET and can be watched on Padres.TV, NBCS-BA, or streamed live on Fubo. Daniel Susac has hit a home run in each of his last two games and will try to keep that streak alive. Both teams are battling for better positions in the National League West division.
The Padres will send Walker Buehler to the mound to start the game. Buehler has a record of 6 wins and 5 losses this season, with an ERA of 5.13. The Giants will counter with Tyler Mahle, who holds a 3-9 record and a 4.96 ERA. An ERA, or earned run average, measures how many runs a pitcher gives up on average over nine innings — the lower the number, the better.
San Diego enters the game with a record of 56 wins and 54 losses, placing them third in the NL West. San Francisco is having a tougher season at 47 wins and 63 losses, putting them fourth in the division. The Padres are listed as the favorites to win this game, meaning oddsmakers think they have a better chance of coming out on top.
Both teams are dealing with several players on the injured list. The Padres are missing key pitchers like Joe Musgrove, Lucas Giolito, and Nick Pivetta, all with elbow injuries. The Giants also have a long list of hurt players, including Harrison Bader, Matt Chapman, and Hayden Birdsong. Injuries can make a big difference in how a team performs on any given night.
Fernando Tatis Jr. is one of the most exciting players to watch for San Diego. He is batting .286 this season with eight home runs, 49 RBIs, and 26 stolen bases. Tatis has also scored 56 runs and is a threat both at the plate and on the base paths. Teammate Manny Machado has slugged 23 home runs — ranking 15th in all of Major League Baseball — and has driven in 65 runs.
On the Giants' side, Luis Arraez is one of the toughest players in the league to strike out. He has a strikeout rate of just 4.6%, which means he almost always makes contact when he swings. Arraez is hitting .328 this season with four home runs, 43 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases in 10 attempts. His teammate Jung Hoo Lee is also hitting well at .300, with six home runs, 40 RBIs, and a perfect 6-for-6 record on stolen base attempts.
Daniel Susac takes a two-game homer streak into the San Francisco Giants' game versus the San Diego Padres.
Comprehension quiz preview
1. What time does the Giants vs. Padres game start on Saturday?
2. What does ERA stand for in baseball?
3. Which Giants player has hit a home run in each of his last two games?