Underdog Phillies Attempting to Steal a Second Win From Dodgers
Who: Los Angeles Dodgers v. Philadelphia Phillies
When: Tuesday September 19th, 2017 7:05PM EST
Where: Citizens Bank Park—Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
As tough as it may be to believe, the Phillies have already taken care of the Dodgers through game 1 of their series this week. The Phillies, who are widely regarded as being one of the worst teams in MLB, are just one of many weak teams that have been able to overcome the slumping Dodgers. To be fair, the Phillies have been playing some of their best baseball in recent weeks. Over the span of their last 10 games, the Phils have won 6 of them. For most other teams this would be far from an impressive run, but for the Phillies it is a commendable effort.
As for the Dodgers, they have definitely seen their better days this season. LA was finally able to end its double-digit losing streak last week, and even followed it up with 4 wins, but they have since lost 2 in a row. Against a team like Philadelphia, the Dodgers are expected to easily clean up and add to their win column, one that was expected to reach triple-digits a few weeks ago. The Dodgers’ problem in recent weeks has been exactly what it has been all season long, and it is that pitchers cannot keep runs off the board. Dodger starter after Dodger starter is giving up an unusual number of runs, and the usually powerful Dodger offense cannot seem to keep up.
We have said this before and I will say it again, if the Dodgers cannot pick up their play and get out of this slump, they run the risk of limping into the playoffs. Being that it is widely known that carrying momentum into the post-season is key, the Dodgers really need to figure things out, and fast.
Game Overview and Analysis
When the visiting Dodgers (-160) take the field on Tuesday, they will send Yu Darvish (9-12 4.08 ERA) to the mound. Darvish was brought to the Dodgers to add to an already stacked starting rotation, but has thus far not exactly lived up to his hype. Though he did win his last outing, by way of 0 earned runs in 7 complete innings, he preceded that by losing 3 in a row. What sticks out about Darvish’s last 4 games is that his sole win came against one of the weakest teams in baseball, the San Francisco Giants. Perhaps even more telling is the fact that 2 of his 3 losses were against playoff contenders in the form of the Rockies and Brewers. What this tells me is that Darvish seems to struggle against the better teams in MLB. Though this is concerning, it seems as though he is poised to win his second consecutive in Philly.
On Monday when these two teams opened their series, the Dodgers scored only 3 runs against a team that has been battered by opposing offenses all year long. To make a long story short, the performance on the part of the Dodgers’ offense needs to pick up dramatically if they want any shot of heading into the post-season and making an impact. They are capable of doing it, but the past few weeks have left a lot to be desired.
As for the Phillies (+150), they will be sending stud Aaron Nola (11-10 3.60 ERA) out for the start. While an 11-10 record might not be overly impressive objectively, when you consider the offense that is (or isn’t) backing him up, those 11 wins speak volumes. Perhaps even more telling about Nola’s play is the fact that he has kept his ERA below 4. Nola’s last outing against the Marlins saw him pitch 7 complete innings and give up just 1 earned run in the process. If he can replicate that solid outing, he will give his team a chance to win 2 consecutive against LA.
As for the Phillies’ bats, they have recently been powered by Rhys Hoskins, a youngster who has really breathed life into an otherwise lackluster roster. There is not much else to talk about as far as the offense is concerned, but the fact of the matter is that they have been getting things done in recent weeks, more so than they have at any point this season.
Betting Prediction
As for the moneyline you should take, I think you have to go with the Dodgers (-160). The Dodgers have been in a slump recently, but they are a significantly stronger team than the Phillies. I do not see them losing 2 straight against Philadelphia, so I think they are the team you have to take.
The over/under is listed by BetOnline at an even 8 runs (+107/-127). To be honest, I think you have to go with the under (-127) in this one. The two starting pitchers have given up a combined 1 run in their respective last starts, and I expect that domination to continue, especially when you consider how woeful the Dodgers’ offense has been in recent weeks.