San Diego Padres official logo

San Diego Padres vs Cincinnati Reds — MLB Regular Season Preview (Mon, Sep 8, 2025)

  • Baseball (MLB)
  • Venue: Petco Park, San Diego
  • 9:40 PM ET

Summary: San Diego Padres vs Cincinnati Reds preview — Lodolo vs Darvish at Petco Park with ET time, broadcast info and a calibrated win/total projection.

Cincinnati Reds official logo

OverviewLineupsConditionsStatsAssessmentFAQ

About this article

Written by Sports Analytics Desk — MLB modeling & editorial. Reviewed by Editorial Review.
Published: • Updated:

Sources: ESPN Preview (probables, stats) · MLB.com Padres (schedule/TV) OverviewLineupsConditionsStatsAssessmentFAQ

San Diego Padres vs Cincinnati Reds preview — Overview

San Diego Padres vs Cincinnati Reds preview. San Diego hosts Cincinnati in the MLB Regular Season, scheduled for 9:40 PM ET on Mon, Sep 8, 2025 at Petco Park (San Diego, USA). Probable pitchers: Yu Darvish (SD) vs Nick Lodolo (CIN). Source.

The series opens with a lefty–righty contrast: Lodolo’s strike-throwing and K ability against a Padres lineup that leans right-handed, while Darvish counters with a deep mix at home in a run-suppressing park that can still reward pulled fly balls. Statcast Park Factors · Context.

Broadcast: Padres.TV (San Diego) / FanDuel Sports Network Ohio (Reds). Check local listings; MLB Network out-of-market applies on select dates this series. Padres info · Reds TV.

LeagueMLB Regular Season
DateMon, Sep 8, 2025 • 9:40 PM ET
VenuePetco Park (San Diego, USA)
OfficialsTBD (announced near first pitch)

San Diego Padres vs Cincinnati Reds — Starters & Lineups Projected

Probable pitchersYu Darvish (SD) — ERA 5.75, FIP n/a vs Nick Lodolo (CIN) — ERA 3.33, FIP n/a. ESPN
Bullpen snapshotPadres: elite unit overall but recently reshuffling after Jason Adam’s season-ending quad injury; Robert Suárez closes. Reds: standard roles; neutral recent form. NY Post · FanGraphs (recent bullpen form)
HOME batting orderFernando Tatis Jr. RF, Luis Arraez 1B, Manny Machado 3B, Ryan O’Hearn DH, Ramón Laureano LF, Jackson Merrill CF, Jake Cronenworth 2B, José Iglesias SS, Elias Díaz C. RotoWire default · Lineups.com
AWAY batting orderTJ Friedl CF, Noelvi Marte RF, Elly De La Cruz SS, Austin Hays DH, Gavin Lux LF, Spencer Steer 1B, Tyler Stephenson C, Ke’Bryan Hayes 3B, Matt McLain 2B. RotoWire default

FIP vs ERA — quick refresher

FIP isolates pitcher results on K, BB, HBP, HR — less defense/noise — and stabilizes faster than ERA, especially in small samples. Park Factor & Barrel%

Petco is run-suppressing overall, but HR carry on pulled flies has tested high; quality contact (barrels) still matters. Context via Statcast park factors and local analysis.

Conditions

  • Temp 24–28°C
  • Precip TBD
  • Wind TBD
  • Roof: Outdoor
  • Surface/Park: Natural grass; marine layer evenings

Forecast reference: San Diego daily outlook around first-pitch window.

San Diego Padres vs Cincinnati Reds — Stats & Model

Pitching formLodolo enters with a strong season line and K% edge; Darvish’s run prevention lags but home/park helps limit damage on non-barrel contact.
Bullpen trendPadres’ unit remains high-quality but recently dipped (last-14-day table shows mid-pack metrics among contenders) while adjusting roles post-Adam. Reds pen closer to league-average lately. (See sources.)
Park factorPetco: below-avg run scoring; HR on pulled flies plays up vs league average; overall totals skew lower here. (Statcast/FantasyPros).
Win probabilitySan Diego Padres 53% — Cincinnati Reds 47%
Total runs (proj)7.2 (lean Under 7.5 in median scenario)
Likely scorelinesSD 4–3 (19%), SD 5–3 (14%), CIN 3–2 (13%).

Final Assessment

Model San Diego Padres 53% vs Cincinnati Reds 47%

Key drivers: Lodolo’s K/BB edge vs righty-heavy SD, Petco run suppression, Padres bullpen quality but role churn (Adam out), home field & travel, Reds team speed/pressure (De La Cruz/Friedl).

  • Δ+6–8% if Darvish HR suppression holds (<1 HR allowed)
  • Δ−5–7% if Reds steal/pressure adds +0.3 runs
  • Δ+4–6% if Padres pen high-leverage (7th–9th) posts 0 ER
  • Δ−4–5% with late marine layer reduction (ball carries more than expected)
  • Δ±3% if either lineup missing a top-3 bat at lock

FAQ

When does the game start?

It’s set for Mon, Sep 8, 2025 at 9:40 PM ET. Mark your calendar!

Where’s it being played?

The matchup goes down at Petco Park in San Diego, USA.

Do we get official lineups?

Yes — clubs post about an hour before first pitch. Until then we list projected lineups above.

How can I keep up live?

You can follow along on Padres.TV / FanDuel Sports Network Ohio or check real-time updates from MLB/ESPN.

Informational purposes only. No guarantee of outcomes. Trademarks belong to their owners. Not financial advice

Back to top