Baseball Betting Preview: Miami Marlins at Philadelphia Phillies
A couple of NL East teams playing out the string will face off in Philadelphia today as the Phillies host the Miami Marlins. Miami has the worst record in the National League and second worst in all of Major League Baseball. Only the Houston Astros have a worse record. They’re not exactly going down with a fight late in the season having lost 8 of their last 10 games. The Phillies are well off the pace in the division as well but are showing at least a little bit of competitive drive in the late going having won 6 of their last 10 games.
Miami will start Sam Dyson who’ll be making his Major League debut as a starter though he has put in a few innings of bullpen work this year. Not much to go on in his limited work in the Majors with a 4.50 ERA in 8 innings. He’s spent most of the year at AA New Orleans and AAA Jacksonville and the Marlins are just giving him the opportunity to get some Major League experience. The Phillies will respond with veteran lefthander Cliff Lee. He’s pitched relatively well this year but has looked very strong in his recent outings. For the season as a whole Lee has a 2.97 ERA and a 1.032 WHIP with the Phillies having won 15 of his 28 starts. That has more to do with his teammates who haven’t always done their part. At home he’s got a 3.50 ERA with 8 Phillies wins in his 13 starts. The Phillies have won 2 of Lee’s last 3 starts with a 2.15 ERA.
We’re being asked to lay a big price with the home team but there’s a couple of other components in this handicap that suggest that it is justified. Miami hasn’t hit the ball well against anyone but they’ve been especially bad against lefthanders hitting .288 and averaging 2.8 runs per game. The Phillies have won 9 of 13 head to head this year including 5 of 7 in Philadelphia. Although the Phillies have been a losing team overall this season they do have a winning record at home-on their home field they’re 41-34 for a small profit. Overall there’s just so much more upside with the home team and the definitely have the best pitcher in this matchup.
BET PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES -220 (LEE) OVER MIAMI MARLINS (DYSON)