The Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres will start the 2020 season on Friday with an intradivisional matchup. Neither the Diamondbacks nor the Padres made the postseason last year, but they both had active winters that they hope will result in a trip to the playoffs this fall.
Here's what you need to know and how you can watch the game.
How can I watch the game?
When: Friday, Jul. 24 | Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
Venue: PETCO Park (San Diego, California)
TV: Fox Sports Arizona and Fox Sports San Diego | Stream: MLB.TV
What do I need to know about the pitching matchup?
Marquee free-agent signing Madison Bumgarner will be making his sixth Opening Day start, and his first for the Diamondbacks. Last season, he threw his seventh career 200-inning season and finished the year with a 107 ERA+ and 4.72 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Bumgarner relies on a three-pitch attack led by a low-90s fastball and complemented with a cutter and curveball.
Young Chris Paddack will make his first Opening Day start after debuting in the Padres' fourth game last season. He made 26 starts overall, accumulating a 127 ERA+ and a 4.94 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Paddack was by and large a two-pitch pitcher: mid-90s fastball and a changeup that coerced whiffs nearly 30 percent of the time.
What about the starting lineups?
The Diamondbacks made a number of additions to their lineup over the winter, including outfielders Starling Marte and Kole Calhoun. They also signed catcher Stephen Vogt, who could conceivably see time at first base and at DH. Ketel Marte, meanwhile, was one of the breakout stars of last season.
The Padres made a few key changes to their lineup as well. Tommy Pham and Trent Grisham have been added to the outfield, while Jurickson Profar has taken over at the keystone. The two members of the left side of the infield, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado, will determine the fate of the offense.
What are the oddsmakers saying about this game?
- Odds: ARI +135 | SD -145 | O/U: 8 runs
So who wins? And which side of the money line has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the money line you should be all over, all from the advanced model that has crushed its MLB picks, and find out.
OK, give me your pick
This has the potential to be a sneaky good matchup throughout the year. We'll nod toward the Diamondbacks, just because their team seems a little better on paper, but anything can happen in a single game.
