Padres Bring King to Cincinnati as Reds' Pitching Woes Mount

The Padres roll into Great American Ball Park on Monday looking to snap a rough patch, and they've got the right guy on the bump to do it. Michael King takes the hill with a crisp 3.23 ERA and 1.17 WHIP, facing a Cincinnati staff that's been leaking runs like a sieve—6.67 per game over the last fifteen. On the other side, Brady Singer has been decidedly hittable all year at 4.72 ERA and 1.42 WHIP, and that's not the profile you want when your bullpen is already underwater.

San Diego's pitching has been their calling card, posting a 3.94 team ERA that dwarfs the Reds' bloated 4.67 mark. Yes, the Padres are ice-cold at 1-4 in their last five, but sometimes the cure for a slump is facing a pitcher who serves up meatballs and a defense that can't get three outs without drama. Cincinnati took one from San Diego back in June, 4-3, but that feels like ancient history given how these two rotations have diverged.

DarkHorse likes the Padres at -148, and it's hard to argue. You're laying juice, sure, but King versus Singer is a mismatch, and the Reds' pitching staff is in full meltdown mode. Fade the home team, ride the better arm, and hope the Padres bats wake up just enough.