Philadelphia’s Road Struggles Could Continue in Washington

The Philadelphia Phillies have struggled on the road this season with a 21-32 record away from home. The Phillies will try to improve on their road record in a four-game series against the Washington Nationals that starts this Monday night in Washington.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

This matchup opened as a pick’em with both the Nationals and Phillies going off at -105, but early action has leaned toward the Phillies to bump the line up to Philadelphia -115. Washington is now going off as a +105 underdog while the total is now going off at 8.5 runs since Sportsbook at nine runs. The UNDER is 6-2 in Philadelphia’s last eight road games against Washington.

Starting Pitchers Analysis

Ranger Suarez will make his first start of the season on Monday night. Suarez, who has been serving as the team’s closer this month, has recorded an impressive 1.12 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP with 42 strikeouts in 40.1 innings pitched out of the bullpen this season. The Phillies are expected to cap Suarez at around three innings or 50 pitches in this game and then slowly stretch his arm out in the coming weeks.

Josiah Gray has pitched eight innings in the major leagues for the Los Angeles Dodgers this season and has recorded a 6.75 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. The 23-year-old was part of the prospect package that came Washington’s way when the Nationals traded Max Scherzer and Trea Turner at the deadline. Gray has posted a 2.41 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP across 198 career innings pitched in the minor leagues.

Philadelphia News & Notes

Bryce Harper went 3-for-4 with three doubles and three runs and J.T. Realmuto went 5-for-6 with three runs and four RBI in Sunday’s 15-4 road win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The offensive outburst was a welcome sight for the Phillies after the team lost to the Pirates 7-0 on Friday night and 3-2 on Saturday. Kyle Gibson pitched well for the Phillies in his Philadelphia debut allowing only five hits and two earned runs across 6.2 innings pitched.

Philadelphia acquired Gibson, Ian Kennedy, and Hans Crouse from the Texas Rangers to help bolster its pitching. The acquisition of Kennedy as the team’s new closer has opened up the path for Ranger Suarez to join the rotation. The Phillies are 52-53 this season but enter Monday just 3.5 games behind the New York Mets for the top spot in the National League East.

Washington News & Notes

Yadiel Hernandez went 4-for-5 with two runs and three RBI including a game-winning walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning on Sunday as the Nationals defeated the Cubs 6-5. Washington took two out of three games against the Cubs over the weekend and improved to 4-2 over its last six games in the process.

Unlike the Atlanta Braves and the Phillies who tried to walk the line between being buyers and sellers, the Nationals were full-fledged sellers at the deadline. Washington dished Trea Turner and Max Scherzer to the Dodgers and Kyle Schwarber to the Boston Red Sox. The Nationals got some excellent young prospects in return, and one of them will be taking the mound for his Nationals debut in this matchup.