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Who's ready for some more playoff action? Game two of this NL Wild Card series continues as the Philadelphia Phillies will square off with the St. Louis Cardinals in the “Rome of the West”. Join us for our MLB odds series, where our Phillies-Cardinals prediction and pick will be revealed.
Meeting seven times throughout the course of the regular season, the Phillies were able to edge out their National League counterparts but for the most part, the epic showdowns between both sides were nail-biting, to say the least. Now, with the postseason having officially arrived, Philadelphia will look to gain the upper hand with RHP Aaron Nola on the mound, who posted an 11-13 record with a 3.25 ERA.
After winning their first division title since the 2019 season, the Cardinals were able to overcome an early season deficit to the Milwaukee Brewers before hitting their stride and taking the division near the latter part of the campaign. Certainly, the Red Birds are confident in their championship aspirations. Getting the nod for the second and possible series-clinching game will be right-hander Miles Mikolas, who finished his regular season with a 12-13 record while accumulating an impressive 3.29 ERA.
Here are the Phillies-Cardinals NL Wild Card series MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NL Wild Card Odds: Phillies-Cardinals Odds
Philadelphia Phillies: -1.5 (-146)
St. Louis Cardinals: +1.5 (-178)
Over: 6.5 (-115)
Under: 6.5 (-105)
Why The Phillies Could Cover The Spread
Without a doubt, the Phillies are a deep roster with an abundance of personalities, swagger, and high baseball IQ. Representing the third and final NL Wild Card spot, Philadelphia's season could not have gotten off to a rockier start after the firing of manager Joe Girardi. Since then, the Phillies have looked like an entirely different team. Even though Philly was not guaranteed a playoff spot until the waning moments of the regular season with the Brewers nipping at their heels, they were able to prevail in a big way by winning some critical games down the stretch.
For starters, the Phillies need to stay true to themselves and hit the cover off of the ball like they have done all season long. With the seventh-most runs in the entire league, Philadelphia certainly thrives off of stringing together hits and putting a ton of pressure on opposing pitching.
Conversely, the biggest weapon within this Phillies lineup is their ability to hit the long ball. Already equipped with the NL home run leader in Kyle Schwarber and his 46 round-trippers, Philadelphia has hit a total of 205 home runs and can change the tone of a game with one swing of the bat. As a whole, the Phillies have posted a .422 slugging percentage.
Despite throwing their ace in Zach Wheeler for game one, the Phillies should still be in decent hands with Nola on the hill. While Nola's best days may be behind him, he still has an electric arm with a pitching arsenal that is tough to hit against when he is clicking on all cylinders.
Why The Cardinals Could Cover The Spread
Through 162 games, the Cardinals finished the 2022 regular season with a 93-69 record and secured their 12th division title in franchise history. Not to mention, this is a battle-tested roster that has a strong wave of veteran leadership with some much-needed playoff experience as well. When it comes to this game two matchups, the Cardinals possess numerous bats that can take over a game. Starting with the favorite to win the NL MVP, first-baseman Paul Goldschmidt is experiencing a career year at the plate as he has slashed .317 with 41 doubles, 35 homers, and 115 RBIs.
In addition, Goldschmidt's partner-in-crime in Nolan Arenado also has been a tough out to get, as he has attributed to a lethal .293 average and has clubbed 30 home runs himself. If these two premier hitters in the heart of St. Louis' lineup are in the zone, then covering the spread will prove to be that much easier for the ‘Cards.
Believe it or not, this Cardinals pitching staff may be better than advertised. Although they may not be an elite unit in comparison to the rest of baseball, St. Louis is certainly no slouches either. On the season, St. Louis pitching has accounted for a productive 3.79 team ERA and will need to keep the mistake pitches to a minimum in large part due to the fact that the Phillies are a home-run hitting team. With that being said, Mikolas is the type of hurler that is tough to stop if he gets on a roll, so the early frames of this one will be vital for the Red Birds to garner some confidence in this series.
Final Phillies-Cardinals Prediction & Pick
In this possible win-or-go-home game two, which side will come out guns a-blazing? Simply put, the Cardinals have been a tough nut to crack at home with a 53-28 record and will prove to be too much for the Phillies in what should be a raucous crowd in St. Louis.
Final Phillies-Cardinals Prediction & Pick: Cardinals +1.5 (-178)
