MLB Best bets: Phillies vs Athletics opening day clash

MLB: SEP 26 Pirates at Phillies
PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 26: Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Bryce Harper (3) during the Major League Baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 26,2021 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia,PA. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)
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Finally, the Phillies are back for Opening Day 2022. If you’re going to the game or watching from home, nothing makes a game more exciting than putting in a bet or two.

With some skin in the game, each pitch holds more importance. Now, if you’re not a consistent bettor, you might be unsure of what to lay money on today. Let’s look at some of the more interesting lines for the Phillies vs. the A’s.

Before we get into it, for those who are new to betting, the odds are all based off of $100. If the odds on something are -200, you’d have to bet $200 to win $100. If the odds are +200, you’d win $200 on a bet of $100.

The Basic Lines

The Oakland Athletics released a very weak lineup prior to the game.

There’s little to no reason to bet on the A’s today. Starting pitcher Frankie Montas could offer some concern since he finished 6th in AL Cy Young voting last season. Outside of that season, however, Montas is a 4.21 ERA pitcher.

On DraftKings, the Phillies’ moneline (to win) sits at -180. That feels like a safe bet but there’s not much money in -180. Their run line (to win by 2+) is at +110. The run line today might be the best bet for the money. The only worry should be if Montas throws an absolute gem. Montas only had 5/32 starts in 2022 where he allowed no runs. 9/32 starts he allowed 1 run or less.

The over/under for Opening Day sits at 7.5 (total runs scored). The over is favorited at -120 and the under sits at even money (+100). The over would depend on the Phillies’ offense showing up right away. Unless the A’s are feeling hitterish, the Phillies would have to score 5+ runs.

Another popular bet is runs scored in the first inning. Over 0.5 runs sits at +105 and if you think the Phillies will get started early, this be a good bet. Under 0.5 sits at -135 odds.

Player Props

The Phillies added 2 big home run hitters this offseason. There’s money to be made if you expect any of the Phillies’ HR hitters to swat one out of the ballpark. Bryce Harper is +340 to home, Kyle Schwarber is +295, Nick Castellanos is +400, and Rhys Hoskins is +330.

You might be interested in taking an Athletic to homer as well with Aaron Nola’s slight homer issue. Seth Brown is +425 (20 HR in 2021), Sean Murphy is +400 (17 HR in 2021), and Steven Piscotty is +600 (hit 27 HR in 2018).

Looking toward the starting pitchers, Aaron Nola’s strikeout number is over/under 6.5. The over is -125 and the under is -105. Montas’ number is 5.5 K. The over sits at -120 and the under at -110.

One extra pitcher prop to look at would be Aaron Nola to record a Win. Yes sits at +135. That could be a good money bet.

Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire

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