Washington Nationals at Philadelphia Phillies Betting Preview/Prop Picks
05 July 2022
Currently, on a five-game losing streak, the Washington Nationals are in a tough spot. They have a record of 29-53 this season and rank last in the NL East. Although they will likely miss the postseason, they can still salvage their year.
Tonight, they'll face another NL East team, the Philadelphia Phillies. Lucky for them, they won't have to worry about Bryce Harper tonight.
The Philadelphia Phillies rank third in the NL East with a record of 42-38. In order to add a few more wins to their record, they'll need to take advantage of this series.
They come off of a huge 4-0 win over the Cardinals on July 3, a series in which they won. With five games separating them from the Atlanta Braves, a win here would be crucial. So, who should you pick today?
Washington Nationals: Nats look to break the five-game skid
The Nationals have had a tough year, and it can be attributed to a few things. For starters, the team's best pitcher has an overall ERA of 5.68.
Today, the pitcher getting the start is Paolo Espino, who has an 0-1 record as a starter. He's pitched 45 innings and has allowed six home runs this season. With Espino on the mound, the Nationals will find themselves in a tough spot.
One area in which the Nationals are rather impressive is at the plate. As a team, the Nationals have a batting average of .252, ranking eighth overall. However, in terms of runs, the Nationals are near the bottom of MLB with just 327.
There have been a few games in this recent skid that they could've won. Still, the Washington Nationals aren't in a good spot to win this game tonight.
Philadelphia Phillies: Phillies are 22-20 at home this season
With an over .500 record at home, the Philadelphia Phillies are in good shape to win here. They will, however, have to slow down the batters of the Nationals. It's also important to note that the Phillies will be missing a few people today.
Didi Gregorius is currently listed as "day-to-day" and could be out of the lineup tonight. Bryce Harper is also still on the IL with a broken thumb.
Without a few key players, this game could be tougher for the Phillies. On the mound tonight is Cristopher Sanchez, who has an 0-1 record this season. Sanchez has an ERA of 4.60 this season over the course of 15.2 innings.
Within that time frame, Sanchez has given up 12 hits and two home runs. Even with Sanchez on the mound, the Phillies come in as -165 favorites.
Washington Nationals at Philadelphia Phillies Betting Pick
After looking at each of these teams, the Philadelphia Phillies are the better choice. The skid the Nationals have gone on is an indication of their inability to finish.
The Phillies, on the other hand, have beaten teams such as the Cardinals and the Braves. In one game, the Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 14-4, so we'll take the Phillies.
Along with that, we'll take the over in this game as well. The Phillies can put runs up on the board, ranking fourth in MLB with 385 runs. Considering the Nationals will have a few great batters at the plate, they'll likely add to the score.
DunkelIndex Free Pick: Philadelphia Phillies -165, OVER
Prop Picks
Philadelphia (+115) OVER 5.5 Runs
Washington is allowing 5.55 runs per 9 innings on defense, which ranks No. 29 in the league, with an opposing team batting average of .267, which also ranks No. 29. Scores have gone OVER in 11 of the Nationals’ last 13 games against the Phillies.
With Dunkel predicting a Philadelphia victory by the score of 7-5, take the Phillies (+115) to finish OVER their Vegas team total of 5.5 runs against the Nationals.
Rhys Hoskins (-155) OVER 0.5 Runs Scored
Hoskins has scored 44 runs in 79 games, which ranks No. 3 on the Phillies. The veteran first baseman has scored 26 runs in 147 at-bats with 11 HRs at home compared to 18 runs in 145 at-bats with 6 HRs on the road
With Dunkel predicting a Phillies home victory while going OVER their Vegas team run total, take Hoskins (-155) to finish OVER 0.5 runs scored versus Washington.
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