Phillies and Rangers Face Off in a Pitching Duel That Could Change the Season’s Fate

Ever had one of those days when you force a play and it just backfires spectacularly? Yeah, me too — yesterday was rough, no sugarcoating it. But hey, baseball’s the gift that keeps on giving: new games every day, fresh chances to bounce back. Tonight, we’re turning the page with a tantalizing Phillies vs. Rangers showdown. Philly’s riding high, perched comfortably atop the standings and freshly armed with what might be the best reliever in the game—finally plugging that pesky bullpen hole. Cristopher Sanchez, their ace, has been a revelation, practically untouchable with a 2.40 ERA and more strikeouts than you can count on one hand. On the flip side, the Rangers are scrambling, clutching at postseason hope like a lifeline. Merrill Kelly makes his second start for Texas after a mid-season trade, bringing some steadiness to a formidable rotation—though it’s still an uphill climb in a tough division. With the Phillies struggling a bit on the road and the Rangers feverishly defending their home turf, tonight’s game promises a battle of grit and strategy. Will the Rangers’ home advantage tip the scales, or can Philly’s powerhouse continue steamrolling into October? And perhaps the bigger question: can I keep my picks clean tonight, or is history doomed to repeat itself? Let’s find out. LEARN MORE.

Phillies vs. Rangers, 8:05 ET

I forced it yesterday. It was a bad day on the diamond after we’ve had some pretty decent results the last week or two. I lost both plays and probably should’ve gone with my initial read on the second game I put out. It happens, and the best thing for me to do is to just put it behind me and move on. The best part of baseball is that we get games every day and can rebound from the tough results. Today we take on the matchup between the Phillies and the Rangers.Â

The Phillies are once again having a great campaign and currently sit in first place. Philadelphia continues to do everything they can to bolster their team as well. At the deadline, they added arguably the best reliever available. That was probably the biggest hole on the team, and that has been addressed. Now the question is how deep they can get into the postseason. The Phillies are hitting .255 as a team, one of the best marks in baseball. They are also playing fairly well at the moment, having three wins in their past five games. In their wins they are allowing opponents three or fewer runs, and in the losses, they have allowed five or more. Today’s starter is Cristopher Sanchez, a guy who is making quite a name for himself. He is 10-3 for the season with a 2.40 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. He also has racked up 145 strikeouts, which puts him at 15th or better in each of the key metrics for pitching. He has exactly two starts this season where he has allowed more than two earned runs. He hasn’t faced the Rangers much in the past and they are just 1-for-4 against him.

The Rangers are fighting for their postseason life. There is no guarantee for them that they will make the playoffs, and they probably don’t have a great chance of making it as the division winner. That will likely go to the Mariners or the Astros. The Rangers do have one of the best starting staffs in baseball. I think the Phillies could make a bit of an argument for that title as well, but with guys like Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi as your first two starters, it makes a big difference having tonight’s starter, Merrill Kelly as your third starter. Kelly is 9-6 for the season with a 3.22 ERA, and a 1.04 WHIP. This will be Kelly’s second start for the Rangers – having been acquired at the trade deadline from the Diamondbacks. In his first outing, Kelly went 5.2 innings, allowed four hits, and two earned runs while striking out six hitters. Overall, the Phillies have hit Kelly decently, but only Trea Turner has strong numbers against him, going 12-for-30.Â

For as good as the Phillies have been this season, they have struggled on the road, just a .500 record. The Rangers are also playing where they are strongest, at home. They are 15 games above .500 at home, but just four games over the mark overall. I think this is a safe bet to take the Rangers in this game. Sanchez has been great and Kelly is also a very good pitcher. I think the under is a good look as well. I’ll split a unit between the Rangers at plus money and then the under.Â

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