Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the MLB match.
So far, the series between the Houston Astros and the Philadelphia Phillies has been a pitching masterclass. Across the two games played, only three runs have been scored — all by the Houston Astros. Given the expected starting pitchers for the next matchup, that trend seems likely to continue.
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros will start Hunter Brown, who has been their standout pitcher this season with an impressive 1.88 ERA. He leads the team in strikeouts with 109 and is among the top ten in the league in that category, despite having made only 15 starts, fewer than 80% of the pitchers he's ranked alongside. Notably, in three of his four outings in June, the games ended with Total Under.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies will respond with Christopher Sanchez, a tall left-hander standing at 6 feet 7 inches, who has pitched at least 6 and 2/3 innings in each of his last five starts. Over the season, he has logged 87 and 2/3 innings, the third-highest total on the team. In that same five-game stretch, Christopher Sanchez has posted a 2.14 ERA, and in three of his most recent June appearances, the combined run total stayed under eight.
Houston Astros vs Philadelphia Phillies Prediction
Defence has clearly had the upper hand in this series, and we see no signs of a shift in momentum. Furthermore, nine of the last ten meetings between these teams have ended with Total Under, with the only outlier being a push. We're backing another low-scoring affair.
