The Phillies went through a tough part of their schedule and didn’t fare too well. They dropped six of seven games to the Tigers, Cubs and Nationals, and now they get a break with a visit from the Brewers. The Phils have surprised a lot of folks in the baseball world with their start, but it looks like things are getting back to normal.
You can bet on MLB odds at BookMaker.eu every day of the season.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The Phillies are migrating to where many thought they would be. And, let’s be honest, we knew it was coming. Expectations were not high coming into the season, yet two months in the Phillies are still lingering around the leaders in the NL East. Since climbing a season-high seven games over .500 with a win over the Marlins on May 18, the Phils proceeded to lose eight of their next 10, including four straight following Monday’s 4-3 loss to the Nationals.
Over those 10 games the Phillies are down 6.95 units on the moneyline while the under is 7-3. While the Phillies have been able to exceed expectations so far, the lingering question has always been when will it come to an end? The way things are going, it could be now.
PROBABLE PITCHERS
Jimmy Nelson (5-3, 2.88 ERA) was on the verge of an early exit in his last start but recovered from a second-inning jam to last 7.1 innings and earn a victory over the Reds. Two runs were all he allowed on six hits while striking out five. Nelson has pitched into the eighth inning in three of his last four starts and delivered four consecutive quality starts, continuing his run as the Brewers best pitcher this season.
The 26-year-old right-hander is in the midst of his best major league season and holds a 2.88 ERA and 1.17 WHIP through 72 innings of his 11 starts. Only one of Nelson’s five wins have come on the road, where he also pitches to a 3.63 ERA over four starts.
It’s been an up and down season for Vince Velasquez (5-2, 3.63 ERA) with his three-hit, 16 strikeout gem against the Padres also coming with outings like his last one against the Cubs, who hammered him for two homers and seven runs in 4.2 innings. That’s now two straight starts where Velasquez hasn’t been able to complete five innings. He’s served up five homers over that span, but he’s also faced two good offenses in the Cubs and Tigers.
His numbers have tailed off drastically since the beginning of the year, but his upside is still tremendous. Velasquez will need to sharpen his command within the strike zone to add some consistency to his arsenal. He’s 3-1 with a 0.74 ERA in four home starts.
LIVE BETTING
The Phillies have lost six of their last seven following Monday’s defeat at the hands of the Nationals. Prior to last week, they had done a decent job this season of avoiding lengthy skids but they went through the toughest stretch they’ve faced in 2016. Over those seven games, the Phils were outscored 34-21 by the Tigers, Cubs and Nationals, three veteran teams filled with power. Two of the games were decided by one run and the Phillies lost both after holding late leads.
At 14-5, the Phils still have far and away the majors’ best record in one-run games, but this is what regression looks like. Reliever Hector Neris wasn’t going to go through a full season without a hiccup. The best example of how productive he’s been was that even after allowing three runs in just two-thirds of an inning, he ERA is still 2.20.
QUICK PICK
After two rough outings on the road, rookie sensation Velasquez returns home where he’s been lights out in four starts. Three of his four home starts were scoreless outings, including his three-hit shutout of San Diego on Apr. 14 when he fanned 16. He held Miami scoreless in five innings giving up just three hits with 10 punchouts in his last home start.
In other words, the kid has been vicious at Citizens Bank Park. The Brewers will get a boost from the return of Ryan Braun to the lineup. He missed a few baseball games earlier in the week with neck and back stiffness, but when he’s in there Braun is still nightmare for opposing pitchers. He was hitting .351/.424/.583 before being shelved. He could be a problem for the Phils, but the rest of the lineup, not so much.
MLB Odds: Philadelphia 4, Milwaukee 2
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The ballgame pitting the Milwaukee Brewers versus the Philadelphia Phillies will commence Friday, June 3, 2016, at 7:05 p.m. ET at Citizens Bank Park.
