The Philadelphia Phillies host the Washington Nationals. It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a Nationals-Phillies prediction and pick.
This matchup will showcase some great pitching. A veteran will go up against a rookie after the Phillies dominated Game 1 of this series. Philadelphia scored 11 runs in the shutout as Juan Soto and Nelson Cruz missed the game for the Nats. The former National Kyle Schwarber smashed two homers last night as he now has 25 on the season. The Phillies are third in the NL East division as they have to climb to catch up to the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets. Meanwhile, the Nationals are last in the division and will likely finish with a bottom-three record in 2022.
Here are the Nationals-Phillies MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Nationals-Phillies Odds
Washington Nationals: +1.5 (-110)
Philadelphia Phillies: -1.5 (-110)
Over: 8 (-102)
Under: 8 (-120)
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Why The Nationals Could Cover The Spread
Josiah Gray will be on the mound for the Nats as he is pitching quite well this year. Despite the team losing a majority of the games, Gray is (6-5) with a 4.22 ERA on the season. That is respectable for the young pitcher and he's also 36th in baseball with 88 strikeouts. He pitches even better on the road as well going (4-0) with a 2.01 ERA in 40 innings. The Nats have lost his last four starts and his last performance wasn't that great. He allowed six runs against the Marlins.
This lineup could be missing Soto and Cruz once again. If that is the case then the Nats don't have much of a chance. The starter they will be facing is one of the best in the league and the lineup is capable of scoring a lot of runs. The Nationals must try and force long counts and draw walks. If they don't, this could end up being a very long game for them. The only good news for them right now offensively is that Josh Bell seems to have gotten back on track offensively.
Why The Phillies Could Cover The Spread
Aaron Nola will start for the Phillies as he is looking for win number six. He's been electric all year but the Phillies haven't been able to produce when he's on the mound. Nola is only (5-5) on the year despite a respectable 3.13 ERA. He's been available all year long with over 100 innings on the season so it's only a matter of time until Nola is winning more games. The right-hander is tied for 5th in the MLB with a 0.92 WHIP and tied for 4th with 117 strikeouts.
If Kyle Schwarber stays hot, then the Phillies could very well cover this spread in the early stages of this game. The slugger is putting the team on his back right now that is without their best player in Bryce Harper. As he remains out with a fractured thumb, the Phils are (6-3) which is a good sign.
The Phillies have a very tough schedule ahead as they travel to St. Louis for a 4-game series against the powerful Cardinals. Then they face the Blue Jays for a 2-game series before flying to Miami for a 3-game series there. It will be a long road trip so this win tonight is a crucial one for them.
Final Nationals-Phillies Prediction & Pick
I expect the Phillies to continue their run against the struggling Nationals. This could get ugly early if Nola is on his game.
Final Nationals-Phillies Prediction & Pick: Phillies -1.5 (-110)
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