Phillies Favored to Nip Angels in Interleague Tilt
Phillies vs Angels Betting: Philadelphia Favored on Road
The Philadelphia Phillies visit the Los Angeles Angels for a three-game series beginning Monday. The Phillies have won four straight and trail Atlanta by 1.5 games in the NL East. The Angels are 5.0 games back in the AL West and are on a 1-9 skid.
And that’s with Mike Trout in the line-up. If the oft-injured star hits the MLB injury list this season, it will be tough for the Angels. Philadelphia will send Cristopher Sanchez to the mound to face Griffin Canning. The Phillies vs Angels betting odds see Philadelphia favored -140 and the total on the game is nine – under (-115).
The Phillies are a solid offensive MLB team, although not necessarily a great one. Philadelphia is averaging 4.65 runs per game. It is sixth in team batting average and tied for second in home runs. The Phillies are tied for ninth in walks but don’t always capitalize on their chances.
The Phillies lead in the NL in team ERA with a mark of 3.36. That’s No. 7 in the overall MLB rankings, but the top six teams are each in the American League The bullpen has been much better on the road than at home this season.
The Angels are averaging 4.25 runs per game, so the offense is pretty average. Los Angeles is No. 18 in team batting average and No. 11 in home runs.
The pitching for the Angels has been awful this season. Los Angeles is No. 28 in team ERA. The bullpen has been brutal at home, where it sports a 7.28 ERA. As a result, only four teams have a worse MLB run differential than the Angels.
Game 1
Phillies vs Angels 
Records: Philadelphia Phillies (19-10), Los Angeles Angels (10-18)
Day/Time:
Location: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, California
Streaming: BSW
Monday’s Game
Sanchez hasn’t pitched poorly, but the Phillies are just 1-4 when he starts. His ERA of 2.59 is solid, but his WHIP of 1.439 is nothing impressive. He’s allowed eight runs in his last three starts, although only two of them were earned. His numbers probably look a little better than he’s pitched.
Canning has been flat-out bad this season, although his last two starts are a little better. Still, he has a 7.50 ERA on the season and the Angels are 1-4 when he starts. The Angels were 10-12 when he started last year.
The Phillies vs Angels betting line might be a shade lower than expected, but Philadelphia -140 isn’t a bad number. For your MLB picks and predictions in this one, the over 8.5 might be the best way to go.
Tuesday’s Game
Two pitchers with ERAs less than 2.00 take to the mound for this game. The Phillies will start Spencer Turnbull, while Tyler Anderson gets the nod for the Angels.
The Phillies are 4-1 when Turnbull takes the mound. He’s allowed three runs in one start and one run or less in the other four. Three of his five starts lasted five innings or less.
Anderson is off to a strong start for the Angels but has been let down by the bullpen. Los Angeles is 2-3 in his five starts despite Anderson allowing two runs or less in four of those starts. He allowed three runs in the other.
The Phillies should be small favorites in this one and the total will be on the low side. Both pitchers are probably over-performing a bit in the early going of the season.
That makes the under a little tough to pull the trigger on. If the total is 7.5 or lower, the over is worth a look.
Wednesday’s Game
The Phillies vs Angels betting line will see Philadelphia as strong favorites here. Zack Wheeler will get the start for the Phils and he’s been dominant his last two starts.
He’s allowed two hits and no runs over that span, but Philadelphia is just 2-3 when he starts on the year even with a 1.93 ERA.
Patrick Sandoval will get the start for the Angels and he’s struggled with a 6.66 ERA. Los Angeles is 2-4 in the games he’s started this MLB season.
The two wins were MLB games where the Angels scored seven and 10 runs. That’s unlikely to be the case against Wheeler.
It’s a bit tough to lay the steep odds on Philadelphia considering the 2-3 record with Wheeler on the mound. He’s definitely pitched better than Sandoval this season, but so have a lot of other pitchers.
If you like the Phillies, look to the run line to keep the MLB odds down a little bit.
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