Venue: Petco Park — San Diego, California
First Pitch: 9:40 PM ET / 6:40 PM PT
Broadcast: Bally Sports Midwest, Padres.TV, MLB.TV
VENUE — PETCO PARK
Location: San Diego, CA
Park Factor: Pitcher‑friendly, especially at night
Dimensions: Deep alleys, spacious outfield
Surface: Natural grass
Petco suppresses home runs but rewards line‑drive hitters and teams with speed.
WEATHER FORECAST (San Diego, CA — May 7, 2026)
Temperature at first pitch: 64°F
Wind: 6–9 mph blowing in from left‑center
Humidity: Moderate
Conditions: Clear skies, cool coastal evening
Impact: Wind blowing in further suppresses power. Expect a low‑to‑moderate scoring environment with pitching and defense taking center stage.
INJURY REPORT
St. Louis Cardinals
Willson Contreras — OUT (forearm fracture)
Tommy Edman — OUT (wrist)
Lars Nootbaar — Day‑to‑day (hamstring)
Giovanny Gallegos — OUT (shoulder)
Steven Matz — OUT (back)
San Diego Padres
Fernando Tatis Jr. — Day‑to‑day (quad tightness)
Joe Musgrove — OUT (elbow)
Luis Campusano — OUT (thumb)
Robert Suarez — Day‑to‑day (forearm fatigue)
Xander Bogaerts — OUT (wrist)
Impact: Both teams are missing key offensive pieces. Tatis’ availability is a major swing factor for San Diego.
RECENT TEAM FORM
St. Louis Cardinals
Last 10: 7–3
Road Record: 9–8
Runs/Game: 4.5
Team ERA: 3.92
Trend: Cardinals’ pitching has been strong, and the offense has been timely despite injuries.
San Diego Padres
Last 10: 6–4
Home Record: 12–7
Runs/Game: 4.7
Team ERA: 3.78
Trend: Padres continue to win with balanced offense and strong bullpen work.
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
St. Louis Cardinals — RHP Miles Mikolas
2026 Season: 3–2, 3.88 ERA
Strengths: Command, ground‑ball rate, efficiency
Weaknesses: Limited strikeout upside
Petco Fit: Excellent — pitch‑to‑contact style plays well in big ballpark
San Diego Padres — RHP Michael King
2026 Season: 4–1, 3.41 ERA
Strengths: Elite movement, swing‑and‑miss slider
Weaknesses: Occasional walk issues
Petco Fit: Strong — strikeout profile thrives in pitcher‑friendly environment
Pitching Edge: Padres (slightly)
KEY PLAYER MATCHUPS
Paul Goldschmidt (STL) vs. Michael King (SD)
Goldschmidt handles right‑handed velocity well
King’s slider could neutralize him Edge: Even
Manny Machado (SD) vs. Miles Mikolas (STL)
Machado thrives vs. command‑first pitchers
Mikolas must avoid middle‑middle sinkers Edge: Padres
Nolan Arenado (STL) vs. Padres Bullpen
Arenado has been heating up
Padres bullpen has been strong but vulnerable to right‑handed power Edge: Cardinals
Jake Cronenworth (SD) vs. Cardinals Pitching
Cronenworth’s line‑drive approach fits Petco perfectly
Mikolas’ sinker could induce weak contact Edge: Even
SERIES HISTORY
2025 Season: Padres won season series 4–3
At Petco Park: Padres have won 6 of last 9
2026 Series: Tied 1–1 entering this game
Trend: Games tend to be low‑scoring at Petco
BETTING TRENDS
St. Louis Cardinals
Cardinals are 6–2 in last 8 road games
Under is 5–2 in last 7 Mikolas starts
Cardinals are 5–1 in last 6 vs. NL West
San Diego Padres
Padres are 7–3 in last 10 home games
Under is 6–3 in last 9 Padres games
Padres are 8–2 in last 10 night games
Head‑to‑Head
Under is 7–3 in last 10 meetings
Home team is 6–4 in last 10
Average combined score at Petco: 7.1 runs
Game Odds
St. Louis Cardinals 8
San Diego Padres – 175
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Wednesday, May 6, 2026
