Padres vs Rockies: Series Preview, Key Injuries, Bold Prediction for Games April 9-12

The San Diego Padres are getting ready to open a four-game series with the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park.

San Diego won their past two series — both on the road — taking two of three games from the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Padres have been playing much better baseball after a slow start, and the team now owns a record of 6-6 for the year. San Diego is 5-2 over the last seven games overall.

As for the Rockies, they've been an early surprise this season. The Rockies are coming off a sweep of the Houston Astros, and they are 6-6 on the year, as well.

Colorado has won four straight games entering this matchup with the Padres.

Padres vs Rockies Pitching Probables

Thursday, April 9: RHP Randy Vásquez vs. TBD

Friday, April 10: RHP Walker Buehler vs. RHP Tomoyuki Sugano

Saturday, April 11: RHP Germán Márquez vs. RHP Ryan Feltner

Sunday, April 12: RHP Nick Pivetta vs LHP Kyle Freeland

San Diego will have its No. 3 pitcher in Vásquez opening the series on Thursday night. Vásquez has been great for the Padres so far this season, putting up an ERA of 0.75 across two starts.

Buehler is expected to take the mound in the second game of the series, and he is hoping for better results. Buehler has posted an ERA of 9.45 in his first two starts of the season.

The Padres No. 5 starter in Márquez will take the mound on Saturday, and he will face his former team for the first time in his career. Márquez looked much stronger in his second start after getting roughed up in his Padres debut.

And finally, the Padres will hand the ball to the ace of the staff in Pivetta for the final game of the series. Pivetta has made three starts for San Diego, posting an ERA of 5.54 overall.

First pitch for Thursday and Friday is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. PT/9:40 p.m. ET, while Saturday's game is scheduled for 5:40 p.m. PT/8:40 p.m. ET. Sunday will be a day game, with first pitch scheduled for 1:10 p.m. PT/4:10 p.m. ET.

Key Injuries

Heading into this series with Colorado, the Padres don't have any new injuries. However, the team may get some pitching reinforcements in the bullpen.

Relief pitcher Jason Adam is eligible to come off the injured list, and could rejoin the team as soon as Thursday. Adam has been recovering from a ruptured quad tendon that he suffered last September.

Pitcher Joe Musgrove continues to try to return to the mound following a setback he suffered returning from Tommy John surgery. The earliest that San Diego will likely see him back on a big league mound is sometime in May.

Infielder Sung-Mun Song is eligible to come off the injured list, but is unlikely to do so at this point as he continues to adjust to the major leagues.

As for the Rockies, offseason addition Jose Quintana is on the injured list with a right hamstring strain after making just one start this season. The left-handed pitcher won't be available for the Rockies this week.

Bold Prediction

Both teams come in playing well, but the Padres have the pitching advantage here. San Diego's bullpen is very strong, and they will likely play a big role in the series.

The Padres will win three of four games in this series, solidifying themselves as a contender over the Rockies. But the team will get shut out when they face Sugano on Friday.

Sugano has been excellent for the Rockies this year so far posting an ERA of 1.69. He'll shut down the Padres offense in the second game of the series.