The Phillies have bounced back after a down weekend in New York. The Phillies have taken each of the first two games against the Cincinnati Reds and look to go for the sweep on Wednesday.
The bats were on fire in the second game of the series. Rhys Hoskins hit two home runs, while Darick Hall, Nick Castellanos, and Garrett Stubbs joined the party with long balls of their own. Nick Castellanos had one of the best nights of his Phillies career last night, going 3-5 with 2 doubles and a home run. Nick had his best season last year as a Cincinnati Reds, maybe returning to Great American Ballpark could help him unlock that same stroke.
Probable Pitchers:
Ranger Suarez (8-5, 3.53 ERA) vs Nick Lodolo (3-4, 4.72 ERA)
The Phillies will send Ranger Suarez to the mound today to try and sweep the Reds. Suarez has only allowed four earned runs in his last 28.1 innings pitched and has been brilliant since returning from the Injured List.
Suarez should have another successful outing today when he takes the rubber against the Reds. The Cincinnati offense has been one of the worst in baseball all year. The Reds team has combined for a -10.7 team WAR while batting in 2022. This goes for the fifth worse in baseball.
Another advantage that Ranger Suarez will have today will be the aggressiveness of the Reds’ hitters. The club likes to attack early in the count, something we saw a lot of on Monday night. Cincinnati’s aggressiveness at the plate can be huge for a pitcher like Ranger Suarez, who constantly is drawing weak contact. This will allow him to stay in the game longer and allow the team to rest their bullpen for another night.
Betting Preview & Picks
My easiest play today will be the Phillies Moneyline. The Phillies are favored on the road and clearly have the better team. I expect the Phils to sweep the Reds on Wednesday afternoon and head back home for their series against the Mets riding high.
Two batters that I expect to get hits in today’s game. Rhys Hoskins and Nick Maton should both be locked to get hits this afternoon. Hoskins has always hit well at Great American Ballpark. I do not expect his two homerun performances to quiet his expectations for today’s game. Nick Maton has been seeing the ball really well in his limited MLB plate appearances. Maton should get good for a hit today.
Paring the Phillies Moneyline with a Hoskins (-195) and Maton (-120) hit in a three-leg parlay can give (+245) on Draftkings for today’s matchup. $5.00 to win $17.25 is a nice little Wednesday afternoon pickup, and it should be enjoyable to follow as the Phillies sweep the Reds.
If you’re feeling a bit risky today and want to go for a big money play, boy do I have the parlay for you. Selecting any run scored in the first inning, with the Phillies moneyline, a Rhys Hoskins home run and 2 total bases from leadoff hitter Jean Segura can net you (+900 odds). $5.00 can turn into $50.00 if this bet hits.
AP Photo/John Bazemore
