Padres vs Pirates Odds, Lines, and Spread (April 13)
- The San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates matchup at PNC Park on April 13th
- Offseason arrival Blake Snell takes the mound for the Padres opposite Pittsburgh’s Chad Kuhl
- Read below for the latest odds, betting preview and a pick
Riding a four-game winning streak, the San Diego Padres are favored over the Pittsburgh Pirates for the second game of their series on April 13th (6:35 pm ET). Pirates Opening Day starter Chad Kuhl gets the ball for the third time this season, while Blake Snell is on the mound for the Padres.
The Padres’ 6-2 win on Monday took them to 8-3 on the season. They are living up to the preseason billing as the Dodgers’ main challenger in the National League. Pittsburgh is playing in line with expectations, too. The Pirates are 3-7 in 2021 and bottom of the National League Central.
Padres vs Pirates Odds
| Team | Runline | Moneyline | Total at DraftKings |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Padres | -1.5 (-132) | -240 | O 8 (-105) |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | +1.5 (+112) | +200 | U (-115) |
Odds as of Apr 13.
Snell is also making his third outing of the regular season. Snell’s reputation is obviously superior, and that has been reflected in his performances to date.
Kuhl Still Searching
Still being ramped up, Kuhl has notched just seven innings across his first two starts. He’s only given up one homer, but the eight walks are a cause for concern. Kuhl is not going to blow hitters away like the game’s elite pitchers. To be effective, he needs to show good control, and that’s unfortunately been lacking in 2021 thus far.
Chad Kuhl, Nasty 90mph Dead Zone Slider…and Sword. ⚔️#KuhlWhiff pic.twitter.com/XjLMmkolfK
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 15, 2020
This is a continuation of an issue in 2020. The veteran right-hander walked 28 in 46.1 innings last season. San Diego isn’t going to bail him out if he’s struggling to throw strikes either – the Padres are eighth in walks per game in 2021.
There are reasons for hope with Kuhl, though. He’s made the slider his primary pitch, and it has proven to be a nightmare for opposing hitters, holding them to a batting average of .091. It will be interesting to see how effective the slider is against the right-handed power hitters of San Diego.
Padres Career Stats vs Kuhl
| Player | AB | H | HR | RBI | K | AVG. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Caratini | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 |
| Eric Hosmer | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | .333 |
| Manny Machado | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 |
| Wil Myers | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| Tommy Pham | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .100 |
There’s limited experience against Kuhl on the Padres roster. Kuhl didn’t face them in 2020. The players who have matched up with Kuhl in the past haven’t done much damage, but we are dealing with such small samples, it’s hard to read much into it.
Snell Dominates
Snell is single-handedly proving the irrelevance of pitcher wins. He’s yet to record a win despite giving up just two runs in 24 innings for the Padres across Spring Training and the regular season.
Blake Snell, Nasty 79mph Curveball…and K Strut 😨🦖 pic.twitter.com/L2o8Su1yr7
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 3, 2021
In the 84th percentile in whiff rate, Snell’s stuff is looking sharp. The former Tampa Bay Ray has recorded 16 strikeouts in 9.2 innings. Snell will be eyeing another high-K game against a Pirates offense which ranks 20th in strikeouts per game.
As with Kuhl, however, walks have been an early worry for Snell, with six in 9.2 innings. Pittsburgh is seventh in team walk rate on the season. Working Snell’s pitch count high early on and drawing some walks is their best path to success on Tuesday.
Pirates Career Stats vs Snell
| Player | AB | H | HR | RBI | K | AVG. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Alford | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 |
| Wilmer Difo | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 |
| Erik Gonzalez | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .200 |
In the American League until this season, Snell has barely faced these Pirates. Pittsburgh will hope Phillip Evans can continue his red-hot start to the campaign, while others in the lineup endure slow starts.
Padres Make It Five in a Row
The Padres have covered the runline in over 63% of their games thus far. That mark increases following a win. Even without Fernando Tatis Jr, they have put together a nice winning streak here. With Snell on the mound, it’s hard to see that coming to an end on Tuesday.
😳 @JURICKSONPROFAR 🌟#HungryForMore pic.twitter.com/rEv7I2scPO
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 12, 2021
There’s a chasm between these two teams. Long-term, there are signs Kuhl can be a solid pitcher, but he’s still building up arm strength, and the Padres will make him pay for any control issues.
San Diego to cover is the obvious bet in this one. Their last six wins have all been by at least two runs.
Pick: San Diego Padres -1.5 (-132)
Sam Cox is a freelance writer and sports junkie, who has spent the past several years immersed in the online gaming industry. He has worked with 888sport, Oddschecker, and Colossus Bets to name a few. Based in the UK, Sam also runs Franchise Sports with his brother.
