San Diego Padres vs Tampa Bay Rays Picks and Predictions April 27th 2025

Rays’ Zack Littell Aims for First Win Against Slumping Padres

The Tampa Bay Rays are eyeing a series sweep as they send Zack Littell to the mound Sunday against the San Diego Padres, a team mired in an alarming offensive slump.

Littell Seeks Elusive Victory

Zack Littell (0-5, 5.28 ERA) has often pitched better than his record shows, falling victim to minimal run support and poorly timed mistakes. His last outing, a 5-1 loss to Arizona, saw him toss six solid innings but surrender two costly home runs.

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“You put good lineups in good positions, they’re going to make you pay,” Littell said after the game.

Littell has struggled to keep the ball in the park, allowing eight homers in just 29 innings—tied for the most in the majors. Sunday’s game marks his first career start against the Padres, though he’s faced them 18 times in relief, with mixed results.

Padres’ Offensive Woes Continue

San Diego’s offense has sputtered dramatically, managing just one run over their last 34 innings. Saturday night’s 4-1 loss to Tampa Bay extended their losing streak to three games, their longest skid of the season.

Fernando Tatis Jr. and Xander Bogaerts have embodied the Padres’ struggles. Tatis was caught in a costly rundown early in Saturday’s game and later struck out with the tying runs on base.

“We know who we are,” said shortstop Xander Bogaerts. “We know the situation that we’re in. We know we have guys out, guys that are key pieces to our team. We’re running into some good pitching sometimes.”

Bogaerts’ weekend has been particularly rough, going 0-for-7 with three strikeouts and two errors that directly contributed to Rays’ runs.

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Pitching Matchup: Littell vs. Vasquez

The Padres will counter with right-hander Randy Vasquez (1-2, 3.97 ERA). Vasquez is coming off a difficult outing against Detroit where he allowed six runs in just over two innings. His previous start against Tampa Bay was also rocky, giving up nine runs across 4 1/3 innings last season.

With San Diego struggling to put runs on the board and Vasquez looking to find his footing, Tampa Bay could be poised to finish off the sweep and continue their home dominance.

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Betting on Rays vs. Padres? Stay Ahead With the Latest MLB Picks and Predictions

As the Rays aim to complete the sweep, it’s the perfect time to sharpen your betting strategy. Dive into updated MLB Winning Picks to make the most informed decisions for today’s games and beyond!