It’s been a crazy week for the Philadelphia Phillies. Not only have they fired Joe Girardi after a tumultuous start to the 2022 season, but they’ve won three in a row since firing him and will be looking to complete the sweep later today.
A 10-0 win and a 7-2 win?! It almost feels too good to be true. They exploded out of the gate yesterday racking up four hits in the opening inning, punching in five runs. The offense quietened down soon after, going scoreless for the next five.
Usually, this would instill some hope in the opposing team. But after Wheeler pitched a solid outing and left the bullpen with a firm lead to protect, the team surprisingly avoided self-sabotaging.
Brand Hand and Seranthony Dominguez did their jobs, while Johan Camargo decided to put the icing on the cake in the bottom of the eighth, lifting the Phillies to an important win.
Players of note
Through the month of June, Kyle Schwarber is batting a .455 clip which is outstanding. He has three homers in as many games and 5 hits in 11 at-bats. His value is crystal clear. J.T. Realmuto is also averaging .455 through 11 at-bats this month, showing a sharp rise in form.
Pitching matchup
Kyle Gibson (3-2, 3.83 ERA) vs Patrick Sandoval (3-1, 2.70 ERA)
This will undoubtedly be the Phils’ toughest test this series. Sandoval not only has a saucy ERA, but his recent loss to the Blue Jays was his first game all year in which he allowed an ERA of over 2.03. The Phillies have been red-hot since the firing of Girardi and with Kyle Gibson in place to keep the Angels quiet, one would favor another Phllies win, but they can’t afford to get back to their careless ways here.
Betting preview
The Phillies are back to being favorites today at -155. The safer bet here would be to attack the under. These two pitchers are excellent and while the offenses can fire at an alarming rate, two fire extinguishers are better than one and the recent surge in batting production has inflated this line. The value is with the under.
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Matt Slocum
