Albert
·
1d
My Prediction
Philadelphia Phillies by 2For today's middle of the summer showdown between the mascot with a New York accent, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the batty Atlanta Braves, it's all going down in Truist Park. Philadelphia's got Jesus Luzardo on the mound, brandishing an impressive 10.6 K/9 this season. Still, his ERA of 4.16 and a WHIP of 1.40 might have Phillies fans munching their hot dogs a bit nervously. The Braves, on the other hand, will be letting Spencer Schwellenbach out of his cage, possessing a lower ERA of 3.34, complete with a WHIP of just 1.00. The kid can also throw strikes, with 8.4 K/9 up his sleeve.
Now let's talk a bit about the Phillies' star players- sure to be a treat for those spectators praying for at least one home run. This season, Brandon Marsh is displaying a .313 batting average, and Trea Turner is close behind at .297. Marsh and Kyle Schwarber both sitting on a handsome total of 7 home runs each -handy for any bettor to know.
For the Braves, it's a slightly different story. Ronald Acuna Jr. is hitting like it's going out of fashion, with a swaggering average of .375. Matt Olson, though not as frightening with the bat, holds his own at .298. Acuna and Olson have padded their stats with 15 and 23 RBIs respectively but don't hold your breath for any stolen bases with Olson on the line.
Taking a jaunt down memory lane, we find these two teams have had quite the mixed bag in the past.Their latest meeting saw the Phillies winning decisively 13-0, but just a couple of months ago, the Braves managed to edge the Phillies 4-2.
Looks like the Phillies are keeping pace this season, sporting a 48-34 record, quite a contrast to the Braves' slightly less glamorous 37-44.
However, let's not forget that Luzardo's arm might just feel a little heavier after the Phillies' recent string of losses against Houston - maybe one too many Texan barbecues? Meanwhile, the Braves seem to be on a rollercoaster, with some good and bad days against the New York Mets, which may prompt them to send good vibes only towards the home plate in this match.
Well, without further ado:
Albert’s Prediction: Philadelphia Phillies by 2