Philadelphia (68-56) at Washington (62-63)
When: Tuesday, August 21st 2018
Where: Nationals Park, Washington, DC
Time: 7:05 ET | TV: MASN2,
NBCS Philadelphia
Opening Odds: Washington -150/9
Both the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals are coming off series losses to the bottom two teams in the National League East and will try and get back on track when they open a three-game series on Tuesday. The Phillies have stumbled of late, dropping seven of their last 11 overall after losing three of five to the New York Mets over the weekend. Carlos Santana’s bat is heating up, as he homered in Sunday’s 8-2 setback to the Mets, and has now hit in five straight contests. Santana is 10-for-36 with four homers, nine RBIs and as many runs scored against Washington this season, with the Phillies winning six of the 10 meetings. Philadelphia sits a half-game behind first-place Atlanta in the National League East entering Monday, but the Nationals, who have dropped six of eight, are seven back. Washington was outscored 19-6 in back-to-back losses to lowly Miami to fall below .500 on the season as they continue to fade away. Adam Eaton had an RBI single in Sunday’s 12-1 rout by the Marlins to improve to 6-for-10 with one homer, three RBIs and three runs scored in his last three games. Second baseman Daniel Murphy is also hot for the Nationals, collecting 17 hits – including two homers – and six RBIs during his last 12 games.
Pitchers: Phillies – Vince Velasquez (8-9, 4.13 ERA) | Nationals – Tanner Roark (8-12, 4.13)
Vince Velasquez was cruising right along until he ran into the Boston Red Sox last Wednesday. The majors best team hit him for three runs and four walks in 2.1 innings of a no-decision. Velasquez allowed one hit in five innings the last time he faced Washington on May 5th, but walked four in that contest. He is 2-2 with a 5.28 ERA in six career outings against the Nationals.
Tanner Roark has been a completely different pitcher since the All-Star Break, going 5-0 with a 1.77 ERA since. Roark has allowed seven earned runs and 28 hits during that stretch covering 35.2 innings, and is coming off a 5-4 victory at St. Louis on Thursday. He’s been roughed up by the Phillies this season to the tune of an 0-3 mark and 5.40 ERA.
Look for the Phillies to come into this series focused after a day off an continue their onslaught of Roark. The Nationals are all but eliminated at this point, and are playing like it lately. I like Philadelphia in the opener.
Pick: Phillies +130
BETTING TRENDS:
- Phillies are 5-1 in their last 6 Tuesday games.
- Phillies are 7-3 in their last 10 games following an off day.
- Phillies are 22-53 in their last 75 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Phillies are 3-8 in their last 11 road games.
- Phillies are 1-5 in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Phillies are 0-4 in their last 4 during game 1 of a series.
- Phillies are 5-2 in Velasquez’s last 7 starts following an outing of less than 4 innings in his last appearance.
- Phillies are 15-31 in Velasquez’s last 46 starts on grass.
- Phillies are 1-4 in Velasquez’s last 5 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Phillies are 1-7 in Velasquez’s last 8 Tuesday starts.
- Phillies are 0-5 in Velasquez’s last 5 road starts.
- Phillies are 0-4 in Velasquez’s last 4 road starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Nationals are 5-1 in their last 6 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Nationals are 10-4 in their last 14 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- Nationals are 5-2 in their last 7 during game 1 of a series.
- Nationals are 7-3 in their last 10 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Nationals are 4-9 in their last 13 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Nationals are 4-11 in their last 15 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Nationals are 2-6 in their last 8 overall.
- Nationals are 2-6 in their last 8 games on grass.
- Nationals are 1-4 in their last 5 games following a loss.
- Nationals are 1-4 in their last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Nationals are 1-6 in their last 7 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 5-1 in Phillies last 6 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 5-1 in Phillies last 6 during game 1 of a series.
- Under is 4-1 in Phillies last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 16-5-1 in Phillies last 22 road games.
- Under is 13-5-1 in Phillies last 19 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Under is 13-5-1 in Phillies last 19 Tuesday games.
- Under is 14-6-1 in Phillies last 21 overall.
- Under is 14-6-1 in Phillies last 21 on grass.
- Under is 32-14-6 in Phillies last 52 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Under is 40-18-4 in Phillies last 62 games following a loss.
- Under is 33-15-4 in Phillies last 52 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Under is 5-0 in Velasquez’s last 5 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 4-0 in Velasquez’s last 4 starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 4-0 in Velasquez’s last 4 road starts.
- Under is 4-0 in Velasquez’s last 4 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 5-0 in Velasquez’s last 5 starts vs. National League East.
- Under is 7-1 in Velasquez’s last 8 starts on grass.
- Under is 7-1 in Velasquez’s last 8 starts overall.
- Under is 5-1 in Velasquez’s last 6 road starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Over is 5-2 in Velasquez’s last 7 Tuesday starts.
- Over is 10-4 in Velasquez’s last 14 starts when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Over is 9-4 in Velasquez’s last 13 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Over is 3-0-1 in Nationals last 4 overall.
- Over is 3-0-1 in Nationals last 4 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Over is 3-0-1 in Nationals last 4 on grass.
- Over is 4-0-1 in Nationals last 5 home games.
- Over is 3-0-1 in Nationals last 4 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Over is 4-0-1 in Nationals last 5 vs. National League East.
- Over is 4-0-1 in Nationals last 5 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Over is 6-1 in Nationals last 7 during game 1 of a series.
- Over is 5-1-2 in Nationals last 8 games following a loss.
- Over is 4-1 in Nationals last 5 games following an off day.
- Over is 4-1-1 in Nationals last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 17-7 in Nationals last 24 Tuesday games.
- Under is 48-22-3 in Nationals last 73 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 15-7-1 in Nationals last 23 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 19-9 in Nationals last 28 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Phillies are 5-2 in the last 7 meetings.
- Phillies are 7-16 in the last 23 meetings in Washington.
