First Five Play in Phillies, Padres Game 1

Phillies vs. Padres, Game 1, 8:03 ET

The opening game is here and the American League is still waiting to see who is going into the Championship Series because of another rainout. I think this series has the potential to be very interesting due to the mileage that everyone is going to rack up. I've already shared a future play, but let's look for the best option in today's game.

One reader mentioned it is easier to fly West than it is East. I'm not sure that is true of everyone, but I respect that it works for him. Specifically, with NBA teams, I see them struggle to go from the West coast to the East. Either way, the Phillies had to fly out to California but should be more than adjusted at this point. Zack Wheeler is taking the opening game - something I expected Ranger Suarez to start because this is a little bit of short rest for Wheeler. He only threw 79 pitches in his last game, but he went six innings and allowed three earned runs to the Braves. It obviously wasn't a bad game, but the Phillies did lose it. Wheeler does have drastic splits, but it is mostly due to how good he is at home. On the road, he has a 3.84 ERA which is fine. And, in night games he is throwing to a 2.05 ERA. He's thrown one game against the Padres this season and it was a gem. The game was at home, but he went seven innings and allowed just four hits.

Yu Darvish has been strong at home this year with a 2.60 ERA. In the playoffs, he has been able to turn in good outings when the Padres needed him. Basically, since September he's been exactly what the Padres expected when they acquired him. Since the beginning of last month, he has one start that wasn't a quality start. The only game was his most recent when he went five innings and allowed three solo home runs to the Dodgers. Aside from that, he's been killing it for them and had a streak of nine straight quality starts. Darvish has made two starts against the Phillies and he was actually better on the road than at home. Still, he covered 13 innings and allowed just three earned runs and 13 hits.

These are two solid starters here and both are throwing really well. We've seen the Padres hit aces pretty well so far this postseason, and the Phillies have had success against a lot of starters as well. I do like the Padres better in this one, though. I'm taking them through the first five innings on the moneyline at -120. Darvish is just in a slightly better spot than Wheeler is.

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