It’s the last day of August, meaning the MLB season is heading into its final month as teams make their final push to secure a playoff spot. One of those playoff races takes center stage Monday night when the Arizona Diamondbacks (73-65) host the Philadelphia Phillies (77-60) at Chase Field for the start of a three-game series.
The Phillies enter Monday with the second National League Wild Card spot, 4.5 games ahead of the Diamondbacks, who currently hold the third and final spot. Philadelphia has been one of the hottest teams in the majors recently, as it’s coming off a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels over the weekend and is 13-2 since Aug. 13. Arizona, meanwhile, just split a four-game series with San Francisco and has won seven of its last 11 games as it looks to hold on to a Wild Card spot and potentially inch closer to the Phillies for a higher seed in the playoffs.
The Diamondbacks will hand the ball to right-hander Brandon Pfaadt for Monday’s series opener. Pfaadt is 7-1 with a 3.51 ERA across 24 appearances, including 14 starts this season. He has struggled in his two most recent starts, allowing nine earned runs, including four home runs, over those two outings, but he does own a 2.90 ERA overall as a starter this season. The Phillies will counter with veteran right-hander Aaron Nola, whose numbers at a glance don’t look too good but who has really turned his season around, posting a 2.79 ERA with 37 strikeouts through his first five starts in August and a 3.57 ERA since July 5.
Phillies vs. Diamondbacks Odds
The Phillies are rolling and are listed as road favorites at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook for Monday night’s matchup in the desert:
- Moneyline: Phillies -115, Diamondbacks +105
- Run Line: Phillies -1.5 (+145), Diamondbacks +1.5 (-155)
- Total (Runs): Over 8.5 (+100), Under 8.5 (-110)
It’s the final day of Hard Rock Bet’s 10¢ Summer Sale, giving players one last chance to take advantage of reduced-vig dime lines before the promotion ends Aug. 31. Qualifying pregame MLB Moneyline, Run Line, and Total markets automatically feature the tighter pricing through the end of the promotion.
Phillies vs. Diamondbacks Predictions
Monday night’s game and the rest of the series between the Phillies and Diamondbacks could have major playoff implications in the NL Wild Card race, so make sure to get in on the baseball betting action at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook and check out the Stats Hub for information regarding both teams when placing wagers like the pick below:
Diamondbacks vs. Phillies Best Bet: Aaron Nola Over 4.5 Strikeouts (-130)
Aaron Nola has been pitching very well for the Phillies over the last two months and has also been striking out hitters at a good rate lately. Nola has recorded seven or more strikeouts in each of his last four starts and has had five or more in five consecutive outings. He’s gone over 4.5 strikeouts in 20 of his 27 starts this season.
The flip side is how Nola matches up against the Diamondbacks’ offense. Arizona doesn’t strike out often as a team and notably has the fewest strikeouts in home games among all MLB teams this season.
The good news for Nola and Phillies fans is that the Diamondbacks aren’t a major threat to hit the long ball, entering Monday with the fifth-fewest home runs in MLB this year. The bad news for Nola is that his 32 home runs allowed this season are the second-most by any pitcher in the majors, and he has allowed at least one home run in each of his last nine starts. Diamondbacks right fielder Corbin Carroll, ironically, just so happens to be one of our three best MLB home run bets for Monday’s action.
Still, Nola is dialed in on the mound right now, and there’s plenty of reason to believe he can reach at least five strikeouts Monday night against the Diamondbacks.
- Diamondbacks vs. Phillies Player Prop Pick for Aug. 31: Aaron Nola Over 4.5 Strikeouts (-130)
Top 5 Most-Bet Player Props for PHI-ARI
Kyle Schwarber leads MLB with 40 home runs and also owns the most-bet player prop for Monday night’s Phillies vs. Diamondbacks game:
- Kyle Schwarber – Over 0.5 Home Runs
- Aaron Nola – Over 4.5 Strikeouts
- Corbin Carroll – Over 0.5 Home Runs
- Luis Arráez – Over 1.5 Hits+Runs+RBI
- Geraldo Perdomo – Over 0.5 Hits
Phillies vs. Diamondbacks Game Info
- 📍 Where: Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
- 📅 Date: Monday, Aug. 31
- ⏰ First Pitch: 9:40 PM ET
- 📺💻 TV/Streaming: ESPN Unlimited, MLB.TV
- ⚾ Probable Pitchers:
- Phillies: Aaron Nola
- Diamondbacks: Brandon Pfaadt
More Ways to Bet
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Referenced odds are subject to change.
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