Philadelphia Phillies at Arizona Diamondbacks Betting Preview/Prop Picks
31 August 2022
Time: 9:40 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 13.724; Arizona 17.074
Dunkel Line & Total: Arizona by 3 ½; 13
Vegas Line & Total: Philadelphia (-140); 9
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (+120); Over
The Philadelphia Phillies have a record of 72-58 this season, ranking third in the NL East. Both the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets have a sizable lead over them.
The recent slump the Phillies find themselves in continues to widen the gap. They've lost their last three games, two of which to the team they're playing tonight. The Phillies face the Arizona Diamondbacks again.
After winning the first two games of the series, the Diamondbacks need one more for the sweep. Tonight is the last time these two will play each other this season, so bragging rights are on the line.
It's unlikely that the Diamondbacks make the playoffs, so a win here will at least boost morale. After winning the first two games, can they finish it with another win at home?
Philadelphia Phillies: Phillies have looked out of sync lately
Yesterday's 12-3 loss to the Diamondbacks should've been a wake-up call for Philadelphia. They were beaten in every aspect of the game, from pitching to batting. Keep in mind that they've been the favorite to win in both of these games.
They're also the favorite to win tonight's game, even though they've been beaten twice. The question is, can we trust them to win?
On the mound tonight is Bailey Falter, who has a 2-3 record with a 4.41 ERA. Falter has thrown pitches over 51 innings, allowing 50 hits and 12 home runs. He's not the best choice to have on the mound, but he's fairly consistent.
The Phillies need help from their batters, which is where they're at their best. The Phillies have a team batting average of .252, ranking ninth overall.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Tommy Henry takes the mound tonight
We haven't seen much from the Diamondbacks' Tommy Henry this season. Throughout the year, he's pitched just 27.2 innings, posting a 3.25 ERA. In this time, he's also allowed 23 hits and three home runs.
He's definitely a pitcher that Arizona should have on the mound more. However, even with him out there, he'll need help from the batters in Arizona.
Yesterday, the Diamondbacks posted an incredible game, putting up 12 runs. In the game prior to that, Arizona put up 13 runs on their own. Currently, on a five-game winning streak, the Diamondbacks batters have really stepped up.
Although their average over the year is .231, ranking 24th overall, they've definitely improved. So, who should you take at the sportsbook?
Philadelphia Phillies at Arizona Diamondbacks Betting Pick
Both of these teams have areas where they excel; the Phillies definitely excel at the plate. However, recent games have seen Philadelphia take a step back, losing three in a row.
The pitching battle in this game goes to Tommy Henry of the Diamondbacks. And while Phillies are still the better team, Arizona's hot streak has the Diamondbacks primed to play the spoiler role.
Bailey Falter isn't a great starting pitcher for the Phillies, and that should mean another big night offensively for Arizona. Look for the Diamondbacks to stay hot in the desert and pull off the upset tonight.
DunkelIndex Free Pick: Arizona Diamondbacks +120, OVER
Prop Picks
Arizona (-140) OVER 3.5 Runs
Arizona is averaging 4.45 runs per 9 innings on offense, which ranks No. 12 in the league. That average increases to 4.67 runs per 9 innings at home. Scores have gone OVER in eight of the Diamondbacks’ last nine games overall.
With Dunkel predicting an Arizona victory by the score of 8-5, take the Diamondbacks (-140) to finish OVER their Vegas team total of 3.5 runs against the Phillies.
Rhys Hoskins (-160) OVER 0.5 Runs Scored
Hoskins has scored 68 runs in 128 games played this season, which ranks No. 2 on the Phillies. The first baseman has scored 4 runs in 19 at-bats with an OPS of 1.191 against Arizona.
With Dunkel predicting the final score going OVER the Vegas run total, take Hoskins (-160) to finish OVER 0.5 runs scored versus the Diamondbacks.
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