Scoreboard Goose Eggs Are Coming In Phillies Vs Red Sox

Phillies vs. Red Sox, 7:10 ET

It was another 1-1 day on the diamond for me as the Cubs won the game but didn't win the first five innings. On the other side, I was able to get two wins in the Angels game, but one was a sprinkle so I won't count it on the full record. The Angels came out of the gate and destroyed Slade Cecconi. One of the most profitable things in sports betting is finding the times to take bad teams. That isn't an easy thing to do. Taking teams like the Marlins, or Athletics, or even the Angles requires the optimal time. We were able to find that yesterday. Today, we shift over to two teams that are performing better than expected as the Phillies take on the Red Sox. 

The Phillies went on a tear last month and while they aren't quite as hot as they once were, they are still playing good baseball and are currently 25 games over .500. They were 8-8 on April 14th. Since that point the club has gone 38-13, that's a streak that not many teams are even close to touching this season. There have been some hiccups as the club dropped four of five games around the end of May, but they are 6-3 in June. Tonight they are looking to close out a series against the Red Sox. After losing yesterday they now face the idea of trying for a series win instead of a sweep. The team is near the top of every offensive category, and their pitching staff has done a good job of navigating opponents' lineups. This really shouldn't be much of a surprise, the Phillies have been good for a couple of years in a row, reaching the National League Championship Series two consecutive years. However, the regular season hasn't always been this easy for them. For tonight's game, they put Aaron Nola on the mound. He has been great this season with an 8-2 record and a 2.77 ERA with a 0.97 WHIP. It isn't much of a surprise that Nola is pitching well. He's been a stud in the playoffs, but this is one of the better stretches of his career. He's been phenomenal on the road this season, holding opponents to a .174 batting average and a 1.82 ERA. Red Sox hitters are 14-for-57 against him which comes to a .246 average, but the concern is that 9 of the hits have gone for extra bases. Dominic Smith actually has 10 of the hits, and 40 of the at-bats. Seven of them have gone for extra bases, so consider putting him in your fantasy lineups. 

Jun 5, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola (27) checks a runner against the Milwaukee Brewers in the third inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

The Red Sox are a .500 club, which isn't something I expected now that we are in June. I'll happily admit when I'm wrong, and this is one of the cases. I expected the Red Sox to be the worst team in the AL East, but they continuously find ways to win games this season. A lot of that is due to their pitching staff performing better than expectations. Additionally, their offense is better than you would think. The team is hitting .248 and they have scored 305 runs this season. They are doing a lot of damage with the long ball this season with 73 for the year, four fewer than today's opponent. Back to the pitching staff, as a team they have a 3.42 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP, both are in the top quarter of the league. Tonight's starter, Tanner Houck hasn't garnered much conversation this season, but he should as he could be considered for the Cy Young. Houck is just 6-5 for the season, but he is second in the Majors with a 1.91 ERA and third in WHIP at 0.92. For the season he has made 13 starts, and 11 of them have been quality starts. He has allowed just two homers for the year as well. The Phillies are just 3-for-18 against Houck over his career. 

I think it is a true pitcher's duel tonight. We have two very good pitchers going at each other and both are pitching well. The offenses both look very good lately, but a bit inconsistent. With Nola, he has been great on the road and I think that can continue here, but I do think the Red Sox will eventually get to him. Houck doesn't have the track record that Nola does, but he's been rolling. I lean toward the Red Sox winning this game, but I'm officially playing the total under 8.5. I think both starters can put up a lot of zeros on the scoreboard. 

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