Philadelphia Phillies vs. Toronto Blue Jays: Odds, Prediction
The Phils are short favourites on the MLB odds.
Betting Analysis
It’s not often you will see an MLB team have a two-game homestand (the vast majority of all series are three or four games) but that’s the case starting Tuesday as the Blue Jays welcome the Philadelphia Phillies for two. Now that every team in the majors plays every other club at least one series, it leads to these somewhat unusual setups. It’s a homecoming for Phillies manager Rob Thomson, a Sarnia native.
Philadelphia is going to win the NL East for the first time since 2011 and make the playoffs for a third straight season but it’s a matter of which seed – and that’s where the Blue Jays could affect things. The Dodgers, Phillies and Brewers are neck-and-neck for not just the NL’s top seed but potential home-field advantage through the World Series should any of them get there.
Toronto split two games in the City of Brotherly Love in early May with both decided by multiple runs. The Phillies also visited Rogers Centre for two games in 2023, and they split. These clubs will play a few times in 2025 spring training per usual as neighbours on the Gulf Coast of Florida. The Phils selected outfielder and Toronto-born Dante Nori with the 27th overall pick in this year’s MLB Draft, so he might be in camp next spring but is likely a couple of years away from the Show at age 19. His dad is former Raptors assistant coach Micah Nori.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies haven’t been playing very well overall since the All-Star break, but they essentially wrapped up the NL East by taking three of four over the weekend against second-place Atlanta. Sunday’s 3-2 victory in 11 innings was Philadelphia’s eighth walk-off win of the year and improved the team to 8-8 in extras. Nick Castellanos had his fourth walk-off hit of the season, only the fourth Phillies batter since 1920 when that became a statistic to have that many. Two-time former NL MVP Bryce Harper had two hits Sunday to stay hot as he’s slashing .378/.465/.568 over his past 10.
Rookie Tyler Phillips (4-1, 5.50) is scheduled on the mound Tuesday for his eighth big-league appearance and seventh start. Phillips was quite good in his first four outings but struggled mightily in his final three before being sent down. Rosters expanded on Sunday so Phillips, who has never faced Toronto, was called back up and will take the rotation spot of struggling Taijuan Walker, who has been demoted to the bullpen.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Jays finished a seven-game road trip to Boston and Minnesota at 3-4 following Sunday’s 4-3 loss in the Twin Cities, blowing a 3-1 eighth-inning lead. Chad Green blew the save in that one and took the loss; he had been 16-for-16 in save opportunities this season. Ahead of Sunday’s game with rosters expanding, the Jays called up infielder Luis De Los Santos and lefty reliever Brandon Eisert. De Los Santos started at short vs. the Twins and was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Eisert didn’t get into Sunday’s game but had a 5.79 ERA in two early season appearances with Toronto spanning 4.2 innings.
Chris Bassitt (9-13, 4.27 ERA) is scheduled on the mound Tuesday. He had struggling of late but was terrific last Wednesday in Boston, allowing one run over 6.2 innings of a no-decision. Bassitt won in Philadelphia on May 8, allowing two runs over 6.1 innings. Nick Castellanos is 10-for-28 career off him with four doubles and a homer. Bryce Harper is 0-for-8.
