San Francisco Giants at San Diego Padres

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
SF	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	2	0	5	12	0
SD	2	0	0	2	0	1	0	0	1	6	10	0

First pitch at Petco Park is set for 5:40 PM PT, and the two starters are trending in opposite directions. Mahle has been the best version of himself since returning from a hamstring strain in late June, running a 3.06 ERA over his last six starts after opening the season in shambles. Buehler, meanwhile, is sliding the other way — a promising June rebound has given way to a brutal July that included a start where he gave up 9 earned runs in just 4 innings against the Cubs.

Show fees

FINAL

Spread

ML

Total

Giants(47-63)

LWWLW

5

+1.5-153+141o8.5+115

Padres(56-54)

WLWWW

6

-1.5+150-144u8.5-115

Best BetPadres -140

Pregame

San Diego's price bakes in a team rounding into form at the right time, with the wild-card race tightening and the offense waking up behind Machado and Tatis. The Giants took the series opener, so there's recent proof San Diego isn't unbeatable, but Buehler getting knocked around late in July is the bigger red flag here than anything Mahle is doing right now.

San Diego's offense has been doing enough lately to cover for Buehler's rough patches, with Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. carrying a lineup that was among the league's worst in the first half. San Francisco gets a lift of its own this weekend, with Matt Chapman targeted to return from his abdominal strain to give Vitello's lineup a little more juice against a Padres pitching staff already missing Joe Musgrove, Nick Pivetta and Lucas Giolito. It's a big enough gap that the market has San Diego as a clear favorite heading into Sunday.

Tyler Mahle

(4-9)·4.64 ERA

Jul 27 vs Brewers

W

6.0IP

0ER

3K

2BB

88P

08/01 Lineup

Walker Buehler

(7-5)·4.88 ERA

Jul 26 @ Marlins

ND

5.1IP

2ER

7K

2BB

92P

08/01 Lineup

That contrast in stakes — a team clawing for a wild-card spot against one with little left to play for — is exactly why this series has felt lopsided even when the results haven't cooperated. The Giants stole the opener 4-1 before San Diego answered with a 7-0 blowout Saturday, and Sunday's finale closes out San Diego's last series before Monday's trade deadline.

San Francisco Giants

(47-63)

Aug 1L@ Padres0-7

Jul 31W@ Padres4-1

Jul 29Wvs Brewers16-3

Jul 29Lvs Brewers2-8

Jul 28Wvs Brewers3-0

San Diego Padres

(56-54)

Aug 1Wvs Giants7-0

Jul 31Lvs Giants1-4

Jul 29Wvs Rockies3-1

Jul 29Wvs Rockies8-7

Jul 26W@ Marlins5-3

Vitello's first year in the majors hasn't gone smoothly, and the losing has invited plenty of outside criticism of the rookie skipper. But there's a stubborn streak to this Giants team — they've split results with the Padres so far this series and clearly aren't just rolling over, even with an outfield picture as thin as it currently is.

San Francisco Giants

(13)

• Day-To-DayLuis Arraez (2B) — Arraez went 4-for-5 with two RBI, a run scored and a stolen base in Wednesday's 16-3 win over the Brewers.08/01
• 10-Day-ILCasey Schmitt (LF) — Schmitt underwent a debridement of his lateral meniscus Friday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.07/31
• 10-Day-ILJonah Cox (CF) — Cox (oblique) went 0-for-3 in Triple-A Sacramento's 5-4 win over Tacoma on Wednesday.07/30
• 10-Day-ILMatt Chapman (3B) — Giants manager Tony Vitello said Wednesday that Chapman (abdomen) will be activated from the 10-day injured list at some point during this weekend's series versus the Padres, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.07/29
• 10-Day-ILHarrison Bader (CF) — Bader had a scooter accident this past weekend and further injured his left foot, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.07/28
• 10-Day-ILVictor Bericoto (RF) — Giants manager Tony Vitello said Saturday that Bericoto (oblique) may be ready to return from the 10-day injured list "within a couple of weeks, could be sooner," MLB.com reports.07/27
• 15-Day-ILTrevor McDonald (SP) — McDonald is scheduled to undergo UCL reconstruction surgery in early August, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.07/29
• 15-Day-ILMatt Gage (RP) — Gage will be re-evaluated in one month after an MRI revealed a moderate left flexor strain, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.07/08
• 60-Day-ILJoel Peguero (RP) — Peguero (hamstring) threw 30 pitches during a bullpen session Monday, Evan Webeck of the California Post reports.06/29
• 60-Day-ILRowan Wick (RP) — The Giants placed Wick (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Sunday, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.05/08
• 60-Day-ILHayden Birdsong (RP) — Birdsong underwent successful UCL reconstruction surgery on his right elbow Wednesday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.05/08
• 60-Day-ILRandy Rodriguez (RP) — The Giants placed Rodriguez (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.05/08
• 60-Day-ILJose Butto (RP) — The Giants transferred Butto (arm) to the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08

San Diego Padres

(9)

• 10-Day-ILMiguel Andujar (DH) — The Padres placed Andujar on the 10-day injured list Monday with a fractured right wrist.07/20
• 10-Day-ILSamad Taylor (LF) — Taylor said Wednesday that he exited Tuesday's game against the Diamondbacks with a right side injury, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.07/08
• 15-Day-ILLucas Giolito (SP) — Giolito (elbow) has been throwing at San Diego's team complex in Arizona and may be close to facing hitters, MLB.com reports.07/22
• 15-Day-ILDavid Morgan (RP) — Morgan (knee) began a rehab assignment at the rookie-level Arizona Complex League on Wednesday, yielding one hit and two walks with one strikeout in one-third of an inning, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.07/16
• 15-Day-ILJason Adam (RP) — Adam said Friday that an MRI on his right shoulder revealed no major structural damage, and he's hopeful to return from the 15-day injured list in early-to-mid August, MLB.com reports.07/07
• 60-Day-ILJoe Musgrove (SP) — Musgrove (elbow) threw 23 pitches in live batting practice Friday, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.07/25
• 60-Day-ILNick Pivetta (SP) — Pivetta (forearm) will throw a live batting practice session this week, Annie Heilbrunn of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.07/20
• 60-Day-ILRamon Laureano (LF) — Laureano underwent surgery Friday to repair his torn right labrum, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.06/05
• 60-Day-ILBryan Hoeing (RP) — The Padres transferred Hoeing (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.05/08

For San Diego, the math is simpler: win the finale, keep pace in the wild-card race, and head into the deadline with momentum instead of a hangover. Sunday is as much about setting a tone for August as it is about the final score.