Philadelphia Phillies vs Arizona Diamondbacks MLB Picks, Odds, Predictions 8/28/2021
Arizona Diamondbacks (44-85) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (63-64)
August 28, 2021 6:05 pm EDT
The Line: Philadelphia Phillies -222 / Arizona Diamondbacks +160; Over/Under: +9
(Get latest betting odds)
The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Philadelphia Phillies meet Saturday in MLB action from Citizens Bank Park. This will be the third installment in a four-game set between these teams over the weekend. In the series opener Thursday, the Diamondbacks eked out a victory. On Friday, the Phillies powered out an extra-innings victory. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.
Arizona posted 15 hits and three errors in the Thursday opener, ultimately taking a tight 8-7 victory. In game two Friday, the Diamondbacks scored four runs late but couldn’t hold on in an 11-inning heartbreaker loss 7-6. Taylor Widener put up 5.0 innings with two earned on five hits and three walks.
For the starter job in the Saturday game, the Diamondbacks will send out Humberto Mejia. In his lone start this year Mejia has 5.0 innings with seven strikeouts and a 3.60 ERA.
Over on the Phillies’ side, they scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth Thursday but by then they’d dug themselves too big a hole to climb out of. On Friday, Philly scored two runs in the 10th and one more in the 11th to seal the comeback. Starter Aaron Nola went 5.1 innings with two earned on three hits.
For the Saturday game, the Phillies will send out Kyle Gibson. In 24 games (23 starts) this year, Gibson has a 9-5 record with a 3.06 ERA and 113 Ks in 144.0 innings of work.
The Diamondbacks are 10-22 in their last 32 versus a team with a losing record and 29-72 in their last 101 overall. Arizona is 18-45 in their last 63 versus a right-handed starter and 13-38 in their last 51 in game three of a series.
Meanwhile, the Phillies are 5-2 in the last seven in game three of a series and 3-8 in their last 11 versus the NL West. The under is 4-0 in Philly’s last four Saturday games and 12-4-2 in their last 18 overall.
PICK: I’m going to try the Phillies here. Gibson had a couple of losses going earlier this month (one versus Arizona), with nine earned on 14 hits and five walks in 10.1 innings between them. He bounced back with 8.0 innings, six hits and one earned in his last outing, however. As for Mejia, he played well in his season debut with 5.0 innings and two earned versus the Pirates. I think both guys will get through five innings or so here, with Philly eventually taking the win.
