Controversy is swirling around the MLB playoff format, currently in its second year of use. The teams who finished the 2023 regular season with five best records ended up going just 1-13 in these playoffs. Three of these teams got a five-day rest while lower seeds went through the wild-card rounds. The other two teams got to host an entire wild-card series but could not manage a single win. A deeper look at the teams reveals some flaws that a postseason series quickly exposed, such as the patchwork starting rotations employed by the L.A. Dodgers and the Baltimore Orioles, and the injuries that the Tampa Bay starting pitchers went through, leaving many unavailable for playoff ball. Don’t miss our MLB betting pick for the series between Phillies vs Arizona.
NLCS: Philadelphia Phillies at Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 3. The NLCS features two wild-card teams – Philadelphia and Arizona – and the Phillies look like they’re ready to head into their second straight World Series after winning the first two games of this series at home.
Phillies lead, 2-0
When: Thursday, October 19, 2023, 4:07 pm ET
Where: Chase Field, Phoenix
TV: TBS
Radio: ESPN Radio
Live Stream: Hulu
MLB Odds: Philadelphia -132 / Arizona +112 // O/U 9
Pitching Matchup: Ranger Suarez (PHI) vs Brandon Pfaadt (ARI)
Why should you bet on the Phillies?
The Phillies pounded the Diamondbacks, 10-0, in Game 2, bringing all sorts of momentum on the flight west. The Phils hit three solo shots, two coming from Kyle Schwarber. Trea Turner had the third long ball, and J.T. Realmuto had two hits, driving in three runs, giving Philadelphia seven wins in eight playoff games. Aaron Nola put on a throwback performance, allowing just three hits over six innings, fanning seven batters. Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly went public with comments about the Philadelphia crowd, saying that it couldn’t be any louder than the Miami crowd for the World Baseball Classic, and the Phillies faithful booed him lustily throughout the game. The raucous noise only grew when Turner drove that solo shot in the first. Can the Diamondbacks get some momentum back with the series moving west?
Ranger Suarez has found a new level of pitching in each of the past two postseasons. During the regular season, his ERA has hovered between four and five, but he has a 1-0 record with a 1.04 ERA in two playoff starts this year; over the last two postseasons, he has a 3-0 record, a 1.16 ERA, and one save. Given that the Diamondbacks got blanked in Game 2, they will have to avoid pressing too hard against Suarez’s quality stuff.
MLB Playoffs Odds | Bet on the Phillies to Win Today!
Why should you put your money on the Diamondbacks?
Moving from the devastation that the Phillies have wrought on Arizona in these first two games to a wider lens, Philadelphia won four of seven meetings during the regular season – including the last three. The teams met in Philadelphia from May 22-24, with the Diamondbacks winning two of three, and in Phoenix from June 12-15, with the Phillies winning three of four. In those four games out west, the Phillies scored a combined 32 runs, allowing 19.
Brandon Pfaadt has held three of his last five opponents scoreless, including 4 ⅓ innings of two-hit ball against the Dodgers in the NLDS. However, in the other two starts, against the Brewers and the Yankees, he allowed a combined nine runs (eight earned) over seven innings, allowing three home runs among 15 hits. So when he finds too much of the plate, bad things happen for his team.
MLB Playoffs Odds | Bet on the Diamondbacks to Win Today!
Phillies vs Arizona Final Score and Prediction
Baseball is a game of momentum, and the Phillies have it in this series right now. Ranger Suarez is locked in as a postseason pitcher and should be able to outduel Brandon Pfaadt. I predict a final score of Philadelphia 6, Arizona 2.
MLB Playoffs Odds to Win the World Series
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia Phillies | +113 |
| Texas Rangers | +120 |
| Houston Astros | +690 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | +1350 |
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Phillies vs Arizona MLB Playoffs Odds
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