MLB matchup analysis

Padres vs Reds Prediction, Odds and Model Pick

Monday, August 31, 2026 at Great American Ball Park · 6:40 PM ET

Pass

LyDia decision: Pass on Padres vs Reds

Lab Rating
6.0/10
Model lean
Padres 71.7%
Market probability
55.4%
Model edge
+16.3%
Best moneyline
-130
Sportsbooks checked
6
LyDia model
71.7%
Market
55.4%

The case for San Diego Padres

Starting pitcher edge: 17 points
LyDia gives Michael King a 17-point edge over Brady Singer, driven mainly by ERA (3.11 vs 4.83) and HR/9 (1.00 vs 1.65).

The case for Cincinnati Reds

The case is thin
The model finds little going Cincinnati Reds's way — it trails on the pitching plan, bullpen, and recent form. The main path to a Cincinnati Reds win is variance.

Why it is not official

Setup quality below the bar
Lab Rating is 6.0/10, under the 7.2/10 required for an official pick.
Own bullpen carries risk: 7.6/10
The San Diego Padres bullpen comes in tired. A lead after six innings is less safe than usual.

Why the setup score is what it is

Conviction: 8.33/10
LyDia's win probability for San Diego Padres (71.7%) is well clear of a coin flip -- this is a real, stated lean, not a guess.
Pitching plan: 21/30
Michael King rates 72 on LyDia's pitcher score, judged on its own merits (50-80 is the credited range). That is a strong start on its own, and it earns most or all of the available credit here.
Bullpen: 5.27/10
San Diego Padres's bullpen carries a real edge over Cincinnati Reds's tonight.
Offense: 25.48/50
San Diego Padres's recent offensive form clearly outpaces Cincinnati Reds's over the tracked windows.

Why the price is what it is

Team strength: 46.8%
Before any pitcher or bullpen adjustment, LyDia's team-strength model alone makes San Diego Padres 46.8% to win. Everything below moves the price from this starting point.
Pitcher score gap: 15 points
The pitcher-score gap favors San Diego Padres by 15 points. This is the biggest single mover of the price -- a large gap moves it a lot, a small gap barely moves it.
Bullpen adjustment: +0.009
The bullpen-fatigue gap between the two pens nudges the price toward San Diego Padres. This moves the price less than the starting pitchers do, since a starter covers more of the game than the bullpen.
Net effect: 46.8% -> 71.7%
Team strength alone had San Diego Padres at 46.8%. After the pitcher and bullpen terms, the price is 71.7% -- the same number shown as Model Lean above.
The verdict LyDia passes. The combined Lab Rating did not clear the official threshold.
Read the full model output

The combined Lab Rating did not clear the official threshold.

Final result

Padres 5, Reds 0

How the analysis held up

San Diego Padres won, the side LyDia's model favored.

Michael King (San Diego Padres), the starter LyDia's pitcher score favored, actually outpitched Brady Singer: 6.0 IP, 0 ER (0.00 ERA) against 4.1 IP, 4 ER (8.31 ERA). The edge held up.

The San Diego Padres bullpen was flagged as elevated risk pregame (Tired). In relief it actually allowed 0 earned runs over 3.0 innings (0.00 ERA) — the risk read did not show up on the scoreboard tonight.

The Cincinnati Reds bullpen was flagged as elevated risk pregame (Tired). In relief it actually allowed 1 earned run over 4.2 innings (1.93 ERA) — the risk read did not show up on the scoreboard tonight.

Cincinnati Reds scored 0, 3.4 fewer than the 3.4 pregame projection.

Game information

MatchupSan Diego Padres at Cincinnati Reds
DateMonday, August 31, 2026
First pitch6:40 PM ET
VenueGreat American Ball Park
Starting pitchersMichael King vs Brady Singer
WeatherGame-time forecast: 85°F, 0% precipitation chance, 4 mph wind from SW.

Starting pitcher matchup

Full Pitcher Matchup Tool →
Michael KingPadres · RHP
vs
Brady SingerReds · RHP
MetricPadresReds
Pitching planTraditional starterTraditional starter
Expected innings5⅔5⅓
ThrowsRR
LyDia pitcher score (higher is better)7255
ERA (lower is better)3.114.83
WHIP (lower is better)1.171.45
K/9 (higher is better)7.87.4
K-BB% (higher is better)11.8%11.4%
K% (higher is better)21.3%18.5%
BB% (lower is better)9.5%7.1%
BB/9 (lower is better)3.52.9
HR/9 (lower is better)1.01.7
Ground-ball rate50.2%48.3%
Fly-ball rate49.8%51.7%

Pitcher edge: LyDia gives Michael King a 17-point edge over Brady Singer, driven mainly by ERA (3.11 vs 4.83) and HR/9 (1.00 vs 1.65).

How to read this: the scorecards above name the starters; every number lives in this table.

Strikeout Projections Full strikeout projections →

Michael King strikeouts
6.2 LyDia projected Ks
Official pick: OVER 5.5K · +0.7K difference
Market 5.5K · O -142 / U +113 · 3 books
Brady Singer strikeouts
3.9 LyDia projected Ks
No K play · -0.6K difference is below LyDia's 0.7K threshold
Market 4.5K · O +127 / U -162 · 3 books

Same data source as the Pitcher Matchup Tool, where every starter on the slate is compared side by side.

Neither side is playing well. Padres are 4-6 in their last 10 and averaging 4.1 runs per game over the last 15 days; Reds are 4-6 in their last 10 and averaging 4.6 runs per game over the last 15 days. On the season Padres carry the better run differential per game (+0.11 against -0.82).

MetricPadresReds
Last 104-64-6
Last 10 by venue (away team on the road, home team at home)4-6 on the road4-6 at home
OPS, last 15 days0.6820.720
wOBA, last 15 days (hot/cold read)0.3050.317
Runs per game, last 15 days4.14.6
K% last 15 days (lower is better)21.0%26.0%

Last 15 days only. Hot and cold streaks for all 30 teams live on the Stats page.

30-day offense

Full offense tool →
Last 30 daysPadresReds
OPS0.721 (+0.019 vs szn)0.680 (-0.022 vs szn)
Runs per game4.54 (+0.291 vs szn)4.10 (-0.012 vs szn)
wOBA (model offense input)0.320 (+0.009 vs szn)0.302 (-0.009 vs szn)
K% (lower is better)20.3% (-1.5% vs szn)26.0% (+0.7% vs szn)

Over the last 30 days the Padres have been the better offense, 0.320 wOBA to 0.302. They are running hot against their own season line (+0.009 wOBA). Reds are striking out at 26.0% over the window — something the opposing starter can lean on.

Season profile

Full Stats page →
MetricPadresReds
Record72-6565-72
Run differential / game (team quality)+0.11-0.82
Runs scored / game (offense, season)4.264.13
Runs allowed / game (defense, season, lower better)4.154.95
Season OPS0.6990.703
K% season (lower is better)21.8%25.3%
OPS vs opposing hand (season)0.7060.692

Season-long team quality, not recent form. Run differential and run environment come from the season standings; splits for all 30 teams live on the Stats page, including the run environment table.

Every team on today's slate, on any two axes you pick. Padres and Reds are highlighted.

Padres
Combined risk
7.6 Tired
Fatigue
7.9 Tired
Efficiency
5.7 Effective
Reds
Combined risk
7.9 Tired
Fatigue
6.4 Tired
Efficiency
2.1 Struggling

Risk is what the model actually uses: fatigue blended with how well the pen has pitched. High fatigue with high efficiency is a tired pen that is still getting outs.

MetricPadresReds
Fatigue7.9/10, Tired6.4/10, Tired
Efficiency5.7/10, Effective2.1/10, Struggling
Combined risk7.6/10, Tired7.9/10, Tired
Relief innings, last 7 days23.024.0
Back-to-back arms46
7-day ERA2.748.25
7-day WHIP1.431.58

Fatigue measures workload. Efficiency measures recent run prevention. Combined risk is what the moneyline and totals systems use.

Run total projection

Full Totals Projections →
LyDia projection
9.5
Market total
9.5
Projected away runs
5.8
Projected home runs
3.3
Over price
-110
Under price
-102
San Diego Padres team total
5.8 projected
Line 4.5 · O -132 / U +105
Over research lean (+1.3)
Cincinnati Reds team total
3.3 projected
Line 3.5 · O -140 / U +112
No team-total lean

The model and market are close. Team totals remain research-only until their graded sample is established.

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