MLB Betting: Padres and Phillies Series Preview
It's certainly not what was expected when the season began, but the Padres take the National League's best record into Philadelphia this weekend to face Roy Halladay and the struggling Phillies.
The San Diego Padres are better than the Philadelphia Phillies.
Now that you’ve cleared the cobwebs from your head, please read the above line again.
As hard as it is to believe that the Padres are a stronger – and much more profitable – baseball club than the two-time defending National League champion Phillies, it’s definitely the case with the teams hooking up for a four-game series beginning on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park.
Thing is, over the last few weeks, the difference between San Diego (32-21, +13.29 units) and Philadelphia (28-24, -4.79 units) hasn’t been close, either. That includes at the betting window.
With their 5-1 win as +110 underdogs over the Mets on Wednesday, the Pads have cashed eight of their last 11 games against the moneyline to sit in first place in the NL West.
San Diego is also tops in the NL in run differential at +56, while Philly, 2.5 games behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East after its three-game sweep at Turner Field this week, is sixth in the Senior Circuit at +33.
The Phils (+135) fell 2-1 to the Braves on Wednesday, and have dropped nine of 11 and 11 of their last 15 games against the moneyline. Philadelphia’s bats are to blame: The Phillies are hitting a paltry .210 during the stretch, contributing to their 3-11-1 O/U streak during the skid.
Philadelphia isn’t getting any starting pitching of note from anyone other than ace Roy Halladay, who’s its only starter with an ERA under 4.00.
Halladay (7-3, 1.99 ERA) takes the ball in Friday night’s series opener (7:05 PM ET) in his first start since he tossed a perfect game at Florida last Saturday.
Good thing Halladay was perfect: The Phils managed to score only one run in the win, as they cashed for the first time in Halladay’s last four outings.
The Pads counter with Mat Latos (5-3, 3.08 ERA) on Friday night. San Diego is 4-1 against the moneyline in Latos’ last five starts, while the young righthander has posted a 2.50 ERA in his last three trips to the hill.
Even with the game taking place at hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park, the ‘under’ is the sharp play on Friday night, and for the rest of the series.
On top of Philadelphia’s aforementioned struggles at the plate, San Diego comes into the weekend ranked first in baseball in team ERA (3.01) and WHIP (1.18), and is 18-30-5 O/U on the season. That includes a 7-14-2 O/U mark away from the pitcher’s haven that is Petco Park.
It doesn’t help ‘over’ bettors that the Phillies could be without the two catalysts at the top of their order this weekend. Placido Polanco (elbow contusion) is questionable for the opener, while Jimmy Rollins (right calf strain) remains on the 15-day disabled list. Rollins is eligible to return from the DL on Sunday.
Veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer (5-5, 4.26 ERA) gets the call for Philadelphia on Saturday night (7:05 PM ET), while San Diego sends the surprising Jon Garland (6-2, 2.15 ERA) to the bump.
Viewed as a reclamation project when the Pads picked him up in the offseason, Garland is throwing the best baseball of his career. Garland ranks fifth in MLB in ERA, and it’s paid off for San Diego. The Padres are 8-1 against the moneyline in Garland’s last nine outings.
Moyer was a tough luck loser in his last start, when he allowed only one run over six innings to take the loss in the Phils’ 1-0 defeat as +125 pups at Florida last Sunday. Philadelphia has dropped the cash in each of Moyer’s last three starts.
San Diego had yet to announce its starters for Sunday afternoon’s contest (1:35 PM ET), or Monday night’s series finale (7:05 PM ET, ESPN), but expect Kevin Correia (5-4, 4.55 ERA) and Wade LeBlanc (2-4, 3.67 ERA) to see some action.
The Phillies go with Joe Blanton (1-4, 5.68 ERA) on Sunday, with Cole Hamels (5-4, 4.20 ERA) set to start on Monday. Philadelphia has won in five of its last seven when Hamels takes the mound, and Monday looks like a good time to take the Phillies on the betting odds board.
Hamels has a 2.94 ERA at home this season, and the Padres are batting only .214 against southpaws on the road.
It's certainly not what was expected when the season began, but the Padres take the National League's best record into Philadelphia this weekend to face Roy Halladay and the struggling Phillies.
The San Diego Padres are better than the Philadelphia Phillies.
Now that you’ve cleared the cobwebs from your head, please read the above line again.
As hard as it is to believe that the Padres are a stronger – and much more profitable – baseball club than the two-time defending National League champion Phillies, it’s definitely the case with the teams hooking up for a four-game series beginning on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park.
Thing is, over the last few weeks, the difference between San Diego (32-21, +13.29 units) and Philadelphia (28-24, -4.79 units) hasn’t been close, either. That includes at the betting window.
With their 5-1 win as +110 underdogs over the Mets on Wednesday, the Pads have cashed eight of their last 11 games against the moneyline to sit in first place in the NL West.
San Diego is also tops in the NL in run differential at +56, while Philly, 2.5 games behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East after its three-game sweep at Turner Field this week, is sixth in the Senior Circuit at +33.
The Phils (+135) fell 2-1 to the Braves on Wednesday, and have dropped nine of 11 and 11 of their last 15 games against the moneyline. Philadelphia’s bats are to blame: The Phillies are hitting a paltry .210 during the stretch, contributing to their 3-11-1 O/U streak during the skid.
Philadelphia isn’t getting any starting pitching of note from anyone other than ace Roy Halladay, who’s its only starter with an ERA under 4.00.
Halladay (7-3, 1.99 ERA) takes the ball in Friday night’s series opener (7:05 PM ET) in his first start since he tossed a perfect game at Florida last Saturday.
Good thing Halladay was perfect: The Phils managed to score only one run in the win, as they cashed for the first time in Halladay’s last four outings.
The Pads counter with Mat Latos (5-3, 3.08 ERA) on Friday night. San Diego is 4-1 against the moneyline in Latos’ last five starts, while the young righthander has posted a 2.50 ERA in his last three trips to the hill.
Even with the game taking place at hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park, the ‘under’ is the sharp play on Friday night, and for the rest of the series.
On top of Philadelphia’s aforementioned struggles at the plate, San Diego comes into the weekend ranked first in baseball in team ERA (3.01) and WHIP (1.18), and is 18-30-5 O/U on the season. That includes a 7-14-2 O/U mark away from the pitcher’s haven that is Petco Park.
It doesn’t help ‘over’ bettors that the Phillies could be without the two catalysts at the top of their order this weekend. Placido Polanco (elbow contusion) is questionable for the opener, while Jimmy Rollins (right calf strain) remains on the 15-day disabled list. Rollins is eligible to return from the DL on Sunday.
Veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer (5-5, 4.26 ERA) gets the call for Philadelphia on Saturday night (7:05 PM ET), while San Diego sends the surprising Jon Garland (6-2, 2.15 ERA) to the bump.
Viewed as a reclamation project when the Pads picked him up in the offseason, Garland is throwing the best baseball of his career. Garland ranks fifth in MLB in ERA, and it’s paid off for San Diego. The Padres are 8-1 against the moneyline in Garland’s last nine outings.
Moyer was a tough luck loser in his last start, when he allowed only one run over six innings to take the loss in the Phils’ 1-0 defeat as +125 pups at Florida last Sunday. Philadelphia has dropped the cash in each of Moyer’s last three starts.
San Diego had yet to announce its starters for Sunday afternoon’s contest (1:35 PM ET), or Monday night’s series finale (7:05 PM ET, ESPN), but expect Kevin Correia (5-4, 4.55 ERA) and Wade LeBlanc (2-4, 3.67 ERA) to see some action.
The Phillies go with Joe Blanton (1-4, 5.68 ERA) on Sunday, with Cole Hamels (5-4, 4.20 ERA) set to start on Monday. Philadelphia has won in five of its last seven when Hamels takes the mound, and Monday looks like a good time to take the Phillies on the betting odds board.
Hamels has a 2.94 ERA at home this season, and the Padres are batting only .214 against southpaws on the road.