The Philadelphia Phillies take on the Los Angeles Dodgers. Check out our MLB odds series for our Phillies Dodgers prediction and pick.
Zack Wheeler gets the start for the Phillies, while Tyler Anderson takes the mound for the Dodgers.
Zack Wheeler has a 4.10 ERA. He had two very rough starts this year which caused his ERA to soar. He gave up seven run to the Marlins and four in another outing against the Brewers. However, he was dominant in his other three starts. Most of the time, the Phillies and MLB odds analysts can expect a strong start from Wheeler.
Tyler Anderson has a 2.78 ERA. He has not given up more than two runs in any of his starts this season, but he also hasn't pitched beyond the fifth inning. He is asked, as a back-end starter in the Dodgers' rotation, to hold the fort and enable the bullpen to finish off the game in a favorable position. On most nights, the Dodgers have the bats to give Anderson more than enough offense, but even when the Los Angeles offense struggles, giving up two runs in five innings will enable the Dodgers to be competitive heading into the sixth inning. This is something to keep in mind when formulating a Phillies Dodgers prediction.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Phillies-Dodgers MLB odds.
MLB Odds: Phillies-Dodgers Odds
Philadelphia Phillies: +1.5 (-164)
Los Angeles Dodgers: -1.5 (+136)
Over: 8 (-106)
Under: 8 (-114)
*Watch MLB Games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)
Why The Phillies Could Cover the Spread
The Phillies had a tough series against the New York Mets this past weekend. They set out on a long West Coast road trip knowing they had to make up ground and change the direction of their season. They started out well in Seattle, winning a series against the Mariners. Rhys Hoskins hit a grand slam to propel the Phils to a win on Wednesday, sending them off to Los Angeles on a happy plane flight, lifting their mood for this game and the rest of the coming road trip. That series win in Seattle could prove to be an important turning point for what is a very talented team. Consider this when making a Phillies Dodgers prediction.
The other big reason the Phillies could cover the spread as a slight underdog in this game is that Zack Wheeler is a better pitcher than Tyler Anderson. The ERA numbers don't reflect it, but we can see that Wheeler is capable of going eight or nine innings with dominant, wipeout-level stuff. Anderson is a five-inning pitcher who is asked to limit damage. Those are two different standards for these pitchers. The Phillies should like where they stand in this matchup. The Dodgers are also struggling, having just lost a series to the Pirates.
Why The Dodgers Could Cover the Spread
After losing a series to the Pittsburgh Pirates, you might think the Dodgers aren't worth picking in this game, especially against Zack Wheeler. Actually, that's a good reason to take Los Angeles in this game. Over 162 games, good teams will have bad series and bad weeks. It's all part of the cyclical nature of baseball, where excellence is measured less by a three-game stretch and more by 15-game or 30-game stretches. It's the long haul.
Good teams will bounce back on days after they suffered brutal losses or played terrible games. We have seen that everywhere this week. The White Sox shrugged off a humiliating loss to Cleveland and won the next day. The Cardinals lost a tough game to the Orioles on Tuesday but then hammered Baltimore on Wednesday. The Mets played a bad game against the Nationals on Wednesday but won early Thursday. The Dodgers' struggles are a good reason to pick them. This is going to be an angry, focused team heading into Thursday's game. It's something to think about when you arrive at a Phillies Dodgers pick.
Final Phillies-Dodgers Prediction & Pick
The Dodgers will be laser focused after a terrible series in Pittsburgh. You can get plus money on the run line if the Dodgers cover. Go for it.
Final Phillies-Dodgers Prediction & Pick: Dodgers -1.5
Follow Us
Subscribe