The Philadelphia Phillies (86-73) face the Houston Astros (104-55) Monday in the 1st game of a 3-game set at Minute Maid Park. First pitch is set for 8:10 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze Tipico Sportsbook‘s lines around the Phillies vs. Astros odds with MLB picks and predictions.
Season series: First meeting since the 2017 season
The Phillies’ magic number to clinch the final NL wild-card spot is 1. It’s simple, Milwaukee has to win every game, and the Phillies just need to win 1 of the final 3 games. The Phils won 3 out of 4 against the Washington Nationals after a 5-game losing streak. It’s a brutal way to finish the season against the powerhouse Astros, but on the plus side, they’ll be battle-tested if they reach the postseason.
The Astros are 15-5 in the last 20 games and have nailed down had the top seed. They have been a bit streaky, though, as they’ve scored just 10 runs over the last 4 games. Houston will compete hard, but its main objective is leaving this series healthy.
Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!
Phillies at Astros projected starters
RHP Aaron Nola vs. RHP Lance McCullers Jr.
Nola (10-13, 3.36 ERA) makes his 32nd start. He has a 0.99 WHIP, 1.3 BB/9 and 10.3 K/9 in 198 1/3 IP.
- Last 5 starts: 1-2, 2.93 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 11.7 K/9
- 15 road starts in 2022: 4-9, 3.20 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 10.2 K/9
McCullers (4-1, 2.38 ERA) makes his 8th start. He has a 1.25 WHIP, 4.5 BB/9 and 9.7 K/9 in 41 2/3 IP.
- Loves pitching at home: 2-0, 1.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP vs. 3.57 ERA, 1.59 WHIP on road WHIP and 5.3 K/9
Phillies at Astros odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:26 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Phillies +110 (bet $100 to win $110) | Astros -135 (bet $135 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Phillies +1.5 (-200) | Astros -1.5 (+160)
- Over/Under (O/U): 7.5 (O: +105 | U: -130)
Claim your risk-free bet up to $350. Catch the excitement and start betting with Tipico Sportsbook! New customer offer in CO and NJ. 21+, see Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. Bet now!
Phillies at Astros picks and predictions
Prediction
Phillies 3, Astros 2
Moneyline
This won’t be easy to do, and it might take extra innings, but Philadelphia gets it done and punches their ticket to the playoffs. They have their ace on the hill and do not want to play around with Houston, who has RHP Justin Verlander and LHP Framber Valdez lined up for the final 2 games.
Take the PHILLIES +110.
Run line/Against the spread
We’re going to PASS here because of the juice stand on the Phillies. One thing to keep in mind when throwing down on this game. Milwaukee’s game starts 30 minutes before this one. If the Brewers get down by a lot or beaten early, Philadelphia has little incentive to grind it out and could pull starters.
Over/Under
Philadelphia is 6-4 O/U, and Houston is 5-4-1 in the last 10 games. Houston has scored 3 runs or fewer in 6 of 10. This should be a pitcher’s duel with a lot of strikeouts. Give me the UNDER 7.5 (-130).
Want action on this game or any other MLB contests? Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, SportsbookWire’s official sportsbook partner in CO and NJ. Bet now!
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW, or try out our USA TODAY Parlay Calculator. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow Ryan Dodson on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Additional MLB coverage:
BaseballHQ Fantasy Baseball
BaseballPress.com: Your source for every MLB lineup
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1372]
[mm-video type=playlist id=01fb7dafw2b08817yr player_id=none image=https://sportsbookwire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]