Braves Aim to Level Series Against Padres in Tuesday Matchup

The Atlanta Braves (48-29, first in NL East) will attempt to even their series against the San Diego Padres (40-37, second in NL West) on Tuesday night at Petco Park following a 1-0 loss in Monday's opener. The game is scheduled for 9:40 p.m. EDT and represents the second meeting between the teams this season.

The Braves will start rookie pitcher JR Ritchie (1-2, 4.54 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 30 strikeouts) on the mound, while the Padres are expected to deploy an opener strategy, beginning with Wandy Peralta before transitioning to Griffin Canning (1-5, 6.64 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 41 strikeouts). Atlanta's offense struggled in the series opener and will need to improve, though the team boasts a strong 36-10 record in games where they record eight or more hits. The Braves have gone 24-15 in road games this season.

Both teams have experienced recent offensive struggles. Over their last 10 games, the Braves are 3-7 with a .219 batting average and have been outscored by 19 runs, while the Padres sit at 5-5 with a .228 batting average. Despite the slow stretch, the Padres have outscored opponents by six runs over that span. Matt Olson leads the Braves with 20 home runs and a .535 slugging percentage, while Fernando Tatis Jr. paces the Padres with a .284 batting average.

Both teams are dealing with significant injury concerns. The Braves have placed Ronald Acuña Jr. on the 10-day IL with a hamstring injury, and are without key players including Spencer Strider and Sean Murphy on 60-day assignments due to elbow and finger injuries respectively. The Padres face even more roster depletion, with 10 players on the injured list, including Joe Musgrove, Nick Pivetta, and Ramon Laureano all sidelined on 60-day assignments.

The betting line favors Atlanta at -113, with the Padres at -109. The over/under for the game is set at 8 runs, suggesting expectations for another low-scoring affair following Monday's pitcher-dominated contest.