Phillies Visit Dodgers in Potential NLCS Preview
Phillies vs Dodgers Series Odds Favor Los Angeles
The Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers, the National League’s two best teams, begin a three-game series on Monday (10:10 p.m. ET) at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Aaron Nola opposes fellow right-hander Tyler Glasnow in the opener.
The Phillies swept the Dodgers last month at Citizens Bank Park, outscoring them 19-5 over three games.
Los Angeles is -1.5 (+160) on the run line and -135 on the moneyline for the opener, with Philadelphia +1.5 (-192) and +114. The projected total is 7.5, with a slight edge to the Over at -115.
What can bettors expect? Read on as we break down both clubs and assess the Phillies vs Dodgers series odds in our MLB preview.
Day/Time:
Location: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
Streaming: MLB
Phillies vs Dodgers Betting Trends
The Philadelphia Phillies are 56-55 against the run line, including 27-25 away from home. As for the Over/Under, the Phillies are 51-55-5, though they’ve gone Over the total in five of their last six.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, meanwhile, are 54-58 against the run line. They’ve been far more profitable for Over/Under bettors with a mark of 58-53-1, including 4-1 over their last five.
It’s important to these betting trends when assessing the Phillies vs Dodgers series odds.
Struggles? What Struggles?
The Phillies have hit the skids of late, losing eight of their last 10 games to fall to 66-45. Despite that, they still own the National League’s best winning percentage (.595) and sit 6.0 games ahead of Atlanta in the NL East. They had dropped six straight prior to Sunday’s 6-0 win over Seattle, in which they cashed in as -125 moneyline favorites.
Star first baseman Bryce Harper snapped out of a 1-for-25 slump by going 3-for-4 with a home run, his 25th of the season. He hit just .149 with a .598 OPS in 67 at-bats during July.
Oddsmakers understandably remain bullish on the Phillies, pricing them +550 to win the World Series. Only the Dodgers (+330) and Yankees (+500) are bigger favorites.
The Phillies have leaned heavily on their terrific pitching staff, which ranks second in the majors in both quality starts (59) and ERA (3.60). One of the pillars of their rotation, left-hander Ranger Suarez (10-5, 2.87 ERA), is on the 15-day IL with lower back soreness. He was scheduled to throw a bullpen session on either Sunday or Monday.
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Freeman’s Return Imminent
The Dodgers went 3-5 on their recent eight-game road trip through Houston, San Diego and Oakland, dropping their record to 65-47. Like the Phillies, they have little reason to worry. Holding a 4.5-game lead atop the NL West, the Dodgers are in the driver’s seat for an 11th division title in 12 seasons.
More good news is on the horizon, as star first baseman Freddie Freeman — who hasn’t played since July 26 — is expected to return from his stint on the family emergency list. Cavan Biggio drew the majority of starts in Freeman’s absence.
Shortstop Mookie Betts, meanwhile, has begun taking batting practice as he recovers from a fractured hand. The Dodgers are reportedly hopeful that Betts can return during their next road trip, which begins Aug. 12 in Milwaukee. However, there are still a few more hurdles he must clear before reing the lineup.
The Dodgers’ lineup remains potent in spite of their absences, ranking second in the NL and fourth in the majors in runs scored (4.9 per game). They are also third in baseball in homers (149), with Shohei Ohtani (33 HR, 79 RBI) and Teoscar Hernandez (23 HR, 71 RBI) ing for much of the production.
Series Probables
Game 1
Monday, 10:10 p.m. ET
Aaron Nola vs Tyler Glasnow
Nola (11-4, 3.43 ERA) fared well against Los Angeles last month, limiting the Dodgers to one run over six innings in a 5-1 win. The right-hander gave up just four hits and struck out nine, one shy of his season-high.
The Phillies have lost Nola’s last three starts, though he remains their most dominant arm outside of Zack Wheeler.
Los Angeles counters with Glasnow, who is 8-6 with a 3.50 ERA. He’s given up five runs in 12 innings since returning from the injured list last month because of lower back soreness, though he still ranks top five in both WHIP (0.96, fourth) and strikeouts (155, tied-fifth).
Be sure to keep that in mind when analyzing the Phillies vs Dodgers series odds.
Game 2
Christopher Sanchez vs Clayton Kershaw
Tuesday, 10:10 p.m. ET
The Yankees tagged Sanchez for a season-high six runs in his last start, a 6-5 loss on July 31. Sanchez still managed to go 5.2 innings, striking out seven. A first-time All-Star, Sanchez (7-7, 3.36 ERA) had a 6.59 ERA in July, far worse than any previous month on the 2024 MLB schedule.
Kershaw also struggled in his most recent outing, giving up seven runs (three earned) over 3.2 innings in an 8-1 loss to Philadelphia on July 31. The three-time Cy Young winner, making just his second start following shoulder surgery, failed to record a strikeout for the first time in his career during the regular season. He also generated only two swings and misses on 83 pitches. At this point, it’s fair to wonder how much gas is left in the tank.
Game 3
Tyler Phillips vs Gavin Stone
10:10 p.m. ET
Phillips was battered for eight runs over 1.2 innings in his last appearance, a 10-2 loss to Seattle on Friday. The rookie right-hander (3-1, 4.39 ERA) had thrown 15 scoreless innings in his previous two outings, per MLB Phillies stats.
He faces Stone, who is 9-5 with a 3.63 ERA. Stone faced the Phillies last month, giving up four runs and nine hits over 4.2 frames in a 4-3 loss.
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