A key National League series gets underway Friday, August 20, 2021, when the Philadelphia Phillies (61-60, 25-35 away) visit the San Diego Padres (67-56, 40-24 home). Neither team is in a good run right now and both need a series win to continue their run to the playoffs. This game will air live on MLB Network at 10:10 p.m. EST.
Philadelphia took the lead in the NL East and instantly went into a downward spiral. The Phillies have lost four games in a row, seven of their last nine, and just got swept by the 41-81 Arizona Diamondbacks. Philly could not score more than two runs in any of the three games against Arizona and the offense has scored two or less runs in four of their last six games. Things are getting dire in Philadelphia as they now trail the Atlanta Braves by four games in the East and trail the Padres by four games for the second Wild Card spot.
San Diego is also in a poor run as they have lost seven of their last eight games, all of which were against the bottom two teams in the NL West. The Padres pitching has gone completely downhill as the staff has allowed seven earned runs or more in five of those eight games. San Diego is not going to catch the San Francisco Giants in the West, they are 12 games back, and now have the Cincinnati Reds right on their tail, just one game back of that second Wild Card spot.
Below is my pick for the series opener between the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres. All odds are from Caesars Sportsbook.
Philadelphia Phillies at San Diego Padres Betting Trends:
Play Against – Road teams (PHILADELPHIA) – ice cold hitting team, batting .215 or worse over their last 15 games starting a pitcher who gave up no earned runs last outing. (52-23 over the last 5 seasons.) (69.3%, +30.8 units)
Play Against – Road teams (PHILADELPHIA) – starting a pitcher who gave up no earned runs last outing, ice cold hitting team, batting .215 or worse over their last 15 games. (52-23 over the last 5 seasons.) (69.3%, +30.8 units)
Philadelphia Phillies at San Diego Padres Pick:
Matt Moore has not had a good first season in Philadelphia but will look to build off his best start of the season last time out. Moore pitched against the red-hot Cincinnati Reds and held them hitless in six innings of work, issuing two walks and striking out eight Reds. Prior to that start, Moore allowed 17 earned runs in his previous 14.1 innings pitched.
Blake Snell appears to have a turned a corner in San Diego as the talented lefty has been on fire his last three starts. Snell has allowed three runs in his last three starts, over 17.0 innings, and is coming off a start that saw him give up six hits and two earned runs in five innings of work against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The 2018 AL Cy Young started against the Phillies on Fourth of July and gave up two hits, with four walks, over four shutout innings.
Prediction: I think the Phillies are just who the doctored ordered, so give me San Diego to win Friday night.