As the San Diego Padres prepare for a three-game interleague series against the Houston Astros, their offense is firing on all cylinders—and they’re doing it with patience at the plate. With stars like Fernando Tatis Jr. playing at an MVP-caliber level, and hitters like Jackson Merrill, Manny Machado, and Jake Cronenworth each posting an adjusted OPS above 150, the Padres are looking like one of the most complete teams in baseball. It’s no surprise they own the best record in the majors as they head into Houston.
While much of the attention has gone to their heavy hitters, it’s the Padres’ collective approach to drawing walks that is often overlooked but has been a major factor in their success. In their 4-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, San Diego worked seven walks—showing an impressive blend of power and patience. As a team, the Padres rank eighth in the majors with a 9.9% walk rate, a stat that complements their ability to hit for power.
“We do a lot of things well that reflect being a top offense in our game,” said Padres manager Mike Shildt. “I will say the thing that can be underrated, but not for me, is the walks.”
On the mound for the Padres in Friday’s opener will be left-hander Kyle Hart (2-0, 5.40 ERA), who is coming off a solid performance against the Colorado Rockies last Saturday, where he tossed six shutout innings in a 2-0 win. However, his previous outing against the Cubs was a struggle, as he allowed five runs in just two outs. Hart will make his first career start against the Astros, but he does have some experience in interleague play, sporting a 1-0 record with an 8.44 ERA across three appearances.
The Astros, on the other hand, have been struggling to find offensive consistency. Despite their strong baserunning efforts—ranked 11th in stolen bases—Houston has yet to win back-to-back games this season and is languishing near the bottom of several key offensive categories. They’re tied for 25th in batting average (.216), 21st in on-base percentage (.300), and 27th in slugging percentage (.317). They’ve also hit just 14 home runs, which is among the lowest in the league.
Rookie right-hander Ryan Gusto (1-1, 3.00 ERA) will take the mound for the Astros in the series opener. Gusto is coming off a loss to the Los Angeles Angels, where he allowed three runs over four innings, but he’s been solid in relief, sporting a 1.13 ERA in four appearances before stepping into the rotation.