San Diego Padres at Miami Marlins

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SD	0	0	2	0	0	0	1	3	1	7	11	0
MIA	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	5	0

San Diego sends JP Sears (2-3, 4.38 ERA) to the mound Saturday looking to shake off a rough Atlanta swing, while Eury Perez (5-7, 3.53 ERA) gets the ball for Miami off one of his best starts of the year — 6 shutout innings with 9 strikeouts against Milwaukee his last time out.

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FINAL

Spread

ML

Total

Padres(50-53)

LLWLW

7

+1.5-156+133o8.5+120

Marlins(52-51)

LLLLL

2

-1.5+156-133u8.5-120

Best BetMarlins -147

Pregame

Miami's lost 9 in a row, but Eury Perez has been the one consistent bright spot on that roster and just turned in a 9-strikeout gem against Milwaukee. San Diego's rotation is patched together behind its injured arms, and Sears still hasn't proven he's a reliable big-league starter. Back the Marlins to snap the skid at home behind their best pitcher.

Perez has quietly turned into the best thing the Marlins have going right now, which says a lot given how little else has gone right. Miami's offense has gone cold during the skid, and losing Max Meyer to a neck strain thinned out a rotation that already leaned hard on its kids. Still, the Marlins have been genuinely tough at home this year, which is the one thing keeping Saturday's line from being a total laugher.

Randy Vásquez

(7-6)·4.19 ERA

Jul 2 @ Dodgers

ND

3.0IP

4ER

0K

1BB

50P

07/25 Lineup

Eury Pérez

(5-9)·3.61 ERA

Jul 19 @ Brewers

ND

6.0IP

0ER

9K

3BB

93P

07/25 Lineup

San Diego isn't walking in with much momentum of its own. The Padres dropped their first two series out of the All-Star break and have lost 3 of their last 4 after that 19-2 blowout win over Kansas City. Sears was part of last summer's Mason Miller trade and has never quite locked down a rotation spot — Saturday is a chance to prove he belongs there.

The Padres' rotation is banged up beyond Sears, with Joe Musgrove, Yu Darvish, Nick Pivetta and Lucas Giolito all working back from injury on varying timelines. That's forced San Diego to lean on its bullpen more than any club wants in late July, even with Mason Miller and company giving them one of the nastier relief corps in baseball for the ninth inning.

San Diego Padres

(50-53)

Jul 23L@ Braves5-6

Jul 22L@ Braves6-7

Jul 21W@ Braves8-3

Jul 20L@ Braves2-3

Jul 19W@ Royals19-2

Miami Marlins

(52-51)

Jul 23L@ Astros2-5

Jul 22L@ Astros3-5

Jul 21L@ Astros5-8

Jul 19L@ Brewers1-3

Jul 18L@ Brewers6-8

Miami's bullpen has its own issues — several relievers are on the injured list working back from elbow and shoulder trouble, which puts extra pressure on Perez to go deep and spare a taxed pen. If he does, Saturday looks a lot like his last outing: quiet, low-scoring, and frustrating for a Padres lineup that's had trouble stringing hits together against good arms.

San Diego Padres

(11)

• 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-ILJeremiah Estrada (RP) — Estrada (knee) moved his rehab assignment up to Triple-A El Paso, walking two and allowing one hit over one-third of an inning in an appearance Tuesday.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
• OutYu Darvish (SP) — Darvish (elbow) revealed Tuesday in a social media post that he has resumed playing catch.05/12
• 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-ILJoe Musgrove (SP) — Padres manager Craig Stammen said that Musgrove (elbow) threw approximately 30-to-40 pitches in a two-inning simulated bullpen session Friday at the organization's complex in Arizona, Kevin Acee 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

Miami Marlins

(9)

• 10-Day-ILOwen Caissie (RF) — Caissie (calf) has been cleared to hit and has increased his defensive and plyometric work, Kevin Barral of FishonFirst.com reports.07/22
• 15-Day-ILMax Meyer (SP) — The Marlins placed Meyer on the 15-day injured list Monday with a neck strain.07/20
• 15-Day-ILAnthony Bender (RP) — Bender (shin) was cleared to begin a throwing program Friday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.07/18
• 15-Day-ILWilliam Kempner (RP) — The Marlins placed Kempner on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to a right elbow sprain.07/12
• 60-Day-ILJosh Ekness (RP) — Ekness (calf) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Jacksonville on Thursday, Kevin Barral of FishonFirst.com reports.07/22
• 60-Day-ILRonny Henriquez (RP) — Henriquez (elbow) began playing catch from 60 feet out Friday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.07/18
• 60-Day-ILAndrew Nardi (RP) — The Marlins transferred Nardi (ribcage) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday.06/01
• 60-Day-ILRobby Snelling (SP) — Snelling underwent internal brace surgery Friday to repair a torn UCL in his left elbow.05/22
• 60-Day-ILAdam Mazur (SP) — The Marlins placed Mazur (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.05/08

Neither team is playing playoff-caliber baseball at the moment, but that's exactly why Saturday matters. Miami needs any sign of life to stop the freefall out of wild-card position, and San Diego needs a series win just to feel like it's still a real contender heading into August. First pitch is 4:10 PM ET.