Things are off to a shaky start for the defending National League Champions.
The Phillies are 0-4 so far this season as the pitching staff looks to be a season long concern for the roster, posting a collective ERA north of 9.00 so far. The team is in New York against the Yankees for the second of three games as they look to figure out its issues on the mound with left hander Matt Strahm.
Can the Phillies get in the win column on Tuesday night, or will the team's pitching woes continue?
Here are the odds and our best bet:
Phillies vs. Yankees odds, run line and total
Phillies vs. Yankees prediction and pick
The Phillies pitching staff has been a disaster to start the year and it may not get easier against the Yankees, who have the likes of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton sitting in the middle of the lineup to feast on the lefty Strahm. Last season, the Yankees were top five in slugging percentage against southpaws and I struggle to see the likely opener Strahm keeping the Yankees lineup down all that long.
The pitching staff is a problem, but the offense surely isn't. The team is top five in batting average across the small sample size of the 2023 season as Trea Turner has hit the ground running, posting two triples in four games with a sterling .389 batting average.
Philly will face Domingo German, who had a solid half season with the Yanks last season, but it was a bit inflated after posting a FIP (4.44) that was nearly a run higher than his ERA (3.61), and I like the Phillies to put up a fight on Wednesday.
I can't trust the Phillies pitching staff, but I can trust its bats to plate a few runs and push this game over the total.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.