National League opponents cross paths again when the Los Angeles Dodgers fly to Philadelphia to kick off a three-game bill with the Philadelphia Phillies Friday night at Citizens Bank Park.
The Dodgers (25-12) are winners of five straight, including three narrow, one-run triumphs. When these teams got together last week, Philly was able to steal three of four. Los Angeles leads the San Diego Padres in the NL West by 1.5 games.
Philadelphia (18-20) has fallen in three of its last four, including a pair against the Padres. The Phillies trail the New York Mets by seven games in the NL East.
Reigning NL MVP Bryce Harper’s presence has been crucial for Philly. He leads the team in every major statistical batting category, namely with a .305 average, nine home runs, and 27 RBIs.
Contributing behind him are third baseman Alec Bohm (.300 average, 17 runs) and second baseman Jean Segura (six homers, 14 RBIs). Hitting .251 collectively, the Phillies grade out as the third-best team in the MLB in terms of batting average. Their 45 long balls are the third-most in the NL.
Dodgers at Phillies Odds
MLB odds have the Dodgers as the favorites in this matchup. Los Angeles is -1.5 on the run line at +110, while the Phillies are -132 to cover the spread.
On the money line, the Dodgers are -146 and Philly a +124 underdog. The total has been set at nine runs, with the over being +100 and the under -122 at the time of this writing.
The Dodgers have a .245 team batting average and 187 RBIs, the second-most of any MLB crew behind only the Angels.
First baseman Freddie Freeman, shortstop Trea Turner, and right fielder Mookie Betts are Los Angeles’ trio of top batters at the moment. Freeman, an offseason free-agent acquisition, paces the lineup with a .312 average, while Betts has a team-high eight long balls. Third baseman Justin Turner has done a good job pushing runs across, piling up 28 RBIs to this point.
Matchup Information
Dodgers at Phillies Betting Preview
The away team will put Julio Urias on the mound. Urias, a seventh-year lefty, has posted a 3.00 ERA and a 2-3 record thus far. Opponents have him figured out as of late, as he’s conceded 19 hits and ten runs over his last two appearances.
His last time out was actually against the Phillies. He lasted six frames, allowing eight knocks – four of which were homers – and eight runs to match. Los Angeles has lost his last two starts.
As a team, the Dodgers have been the best on the mound in the show. They have a league-low 2.85 ERA and 1.08 WHIP.
Ranger Suarez will be opposite Urias here. The native Venezuelan Suarez sports a 3.72 ERA. The last Philly saw of him; he went seven innings in a 8-3 win over Los Angeles. He allowed five hits and three earned runs, along with punching out a half-dozen challengers.
In 90 career appearances over five schedules, he boasts a 2.83 ERA.
He’s been a key cog in a collection of arms that, as a whole, isn’t jumping off the page. The team is rated 17th with a 3.91 ERA.
Dodgers at Phillies Betting Predictions
The pitching matchup and the MLB betting trends that go with it make this an intriguing tilt. While the Dodgers may very well be the best team in professional ball, Urias hasn’t done particularly well recently.
The first series between these clubs proved that the gap that separates them isn’t all that far. With Harper fronting it, the Phillies’ offense has been up to the task. This Philly squad has shown this week that it can pull out close decisions.
Make some money here by choosing Harper, Suarez, and the Phillies to win outright as underdogs. Not many teams have been able to go toe-to-toe with Los Angeles, which makes this one of the more intriguing MLB picks today.
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