Philadelphia Phillies by 2
Alright folks, here's the scenario. The Philadelphia Phillies will host the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park. Now, if your memory serves you right, batters at this venue have had some sunny days, while the pitchers, not so much. Something about that Philly air, perhaps?
Starting on the mound for the Dodgers is Gavin Stone. Stone has a respectable 2.68 ERA and 1.19 WHIP this season, with continuing efforts to make his mark with 16 appearances to his credit. His adversary in red, Cristopher Sanchez, is poised to come in from the bullpen, holding a slightly higher ERA at 2.89 and a 1.24 WHIP. Sanchez has shown his face 17 times on the mound this season.
Taking a glance back at the batting records, the Dodgers operate with some lethal weapons in their arsenal. Check out Shohei Ohtani with a stunning 0.323 batting average, and Miguel Vargas who's hitting back-to-back with the same average. Meanwhile, the Phillies shouldn't be underestimated when you spot the likes of Bryce Harper and Trea Turner on the pitch. Harper's batting average could easily persuade a blind umpire to switch sides.
Historically speaking, the Phillies seem to have the upper hand vis-à-vis the Dodgers, with the most recent match sending the Californians home with a throbbing 10-1 defeat. Digging even deeper into the archives, it's been a tug of war but tilted to the Phillies' court.
Season records hour! The home team Phillies are currently ahead of the Dodgers 58 to 55.
When it comes to recent form, the Phillies seem resilient in the face of defeat while the Dodgers are on shaky ground, licking their wounds from the most recent losses.
After digesting all these facts, it's time for my prediction. Now remember folks, I don't have a crystal ball here.
Albert's Prediction: Philadelphia Phillies by 2