Ad Disclosure
Phillies vs. Nationals Pick: Back to Even Again?
Published:
In desperate need of a rotation makeover, the Phillies will send their recent closer and one regularly dependable bullpen arm to the mound to start Monday’s series opener against Nationals.
Let’s jump into a look at the betting odds and make some Phillies vs. Nationals picks and predictions for this matchup on August 2, 2021.
In 27 relief appearances this season, Suarez is 5-3 with a 1.12 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP. He has faced the Nationals four times this season without allowing a single earned run across 6 1/3 innings.
The remaining Nationals players who have faced him are just 3-for-18 (.167) with six strikeouts and no extra base hits. He has allowed an earned run in just one of his last ten appearances, with the Phillies winning nine of those ten games.
Phillies vs. Nationals Odds
Let’s take a quick look at the current Phillies vs. Nationals betting odds:
| Team | Odds | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rays | +1.5 (-165) | +120 | O 8.5 (-110) |
| Phillies | -1.5 (+145) | -140 | U 8.5 (-110) |
Click here to get a $500 first bet bonus with FOX Bet PA. Get the deal in NJ by clicking here. Use the links above to get in CO and MI.
Phillies vs. Nationals Betting Pick
Suarez will get the benefit of playing a Washington team that just traded away many of their best players at the trade deadline. Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Josh Harrison, Yan Gomes are all important bats now missing from Washington’s lineup, while the Nats also find themselves without Brad Hand and Daniel Hudson out of the bullpen.
Read more about Suarez’s move to the rotation here.
The Nationals were only 13-18 (3-8 last 11) against left-handed pitching this season even with those superior bats in the lineup and better arms in the bullpen. The Nationals are also just 2-5 in their last seven home games against lefties.
Making matters worse for Washington, two of their preferred arms out of the pen could potentially be unavailable tonight. Wander Suero and Kyle Finnegan, the team’s new closer, pitched for the third time in four days yesterday to help secure Washington’s series-clinching victory over the Cubs.
Washington, therefore, will be hoping for a solid outing from starter Josiah Gray. The rookie came over as part of the deal that sent Max Scherzer and Turner to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He made two appearances for the Dodgers, one as a starter, lasting four innings both times, which likely means Washington will have to send some questionable arms to the mound tonight to eat up innings.
Click here to bet $20, win $200 guaranteed on the Summer Games with FanDuel Sportsbook.
Gray walked five batters and allowed four home runs in his eight innings of work as a big-leaguer, thus far. He will face a Phillies team that averages more home runs per game on the road than at home and is ninth in the majors in walks per game.
The Phillies have had a difficult time stringing together important wins, but they have to realize their window to catch the Mets in the National League East shrinks with each passing day. The Mets have allowed Philly to hang around, going just 4-6 in their last 10 games, and the Phils will want to close their division deficit to under three games ahead of their upcoming head-to-head series with New York next.
Losing the first game of this series would likely preclude that possibility and they’re likely aware of it.
The Phillies, who scored 15 runs in yesterday’s win, are just 2-7 this season after scoring double-digit runs. However, they are 2-2 in their last four in that role with both wins coming away from home. Thankfully, too, Washington is just 5-12 in its last 17 games against opponents having just scored five runs or more.
The Nationals are just 1-6 this season in Game 1 of a series after previously winning a three game series. The lone win they produced in that role was a 1-0 victory. The Nats scored just 1.9 runs per game in those seven outings, while allowing 5.4 runs per game.
Click here to sign up with PointsBet to bet $25 and score $125 if the U.S. wins a gold medal at the Olympics.
Prediction
With Washington having gone 3-8 in its last 11 games as underdogs, including 1-6 at home, look for the Phillies to earn a rare back-to-back victory and keep the “pressure” on the Mets.
Our Pick: Philadelphia -118 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
