Phillies vs Padres Prediction
The San Diego Padres will encounter the Philadelphia Phillies once more in the final game of the series. This game will be played on July 4th in the afternoon, so expect the stars to come ready to play for the holidays. The Phillies have taken the first two games of the series, so look for the Padres to bounce back. Look here to see my Phillies vs Padres prediction.
The Padres have been one of the best teams in baseball all year. They are 49-35, which is good for just third in the NL West. The Dodgers and Giants have a few games up on this squad, as they have lost three in a row after winning 11 of the previous 12. The San Diego Padres are legit and are in desperate need of a win to end off the series.
The Philadelphia Phillies are a solid team and have been playing well recently. Winning back-to-back games has given the Phillies some life in the NL East, where they sit in 4th place with a 38-41 record. Philadelphia is only 4 games back of first place, so they will be ready to go and get a win, especially on Independence Day.
The San Diego Padres Need to Get Back on Track
The Padres have played extremely well for the past month, with the exception of this weekend. They just haven’t been able to get the bats going in the past three games, which has cost them these wins. Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado must catch fire in order for San Diego to have a chance against this hot Phillies squad.
The offense for the Padres has been average all year, ranking around 13th in average and 12th in runs. Tatis Jr. has carried the load in home runs this year with 26 of them, and Machado added to his list of home runs on Saturday night for his 13th. Tommy Pham, Eric Hosmer, and Wil Myers will all have to hit well in the final outing against Philly Sunday afternoon.
Pitching has been a major plus for the Padres. San Diego is ranked third in ERA and fourth in whip. Yu Darvish has been their best starter but took a loss in the last game. The pitcher for July 4th will be former Cy Young winner Blake Snell. He has had a subpar year with a 3-3 record and 5.29 ERA. The Padres should feel confident going into this contest.
The Phillies Need To Continue To Launch the Longball
The Phillies secured another win versus the Padres and are looking to finish them off with a sweep. Philadelphia’s offense has hit well recently and has won 5 of their last 8 games. Bryce Harper has not had the max contract season that he was added for but has been better recently. Look for the Phillies to keep the gas on the pedal.
Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins both smoked home runs in the previous game to help win the game 4-2. The offense is ranked right in the middle of the pack at 15th in the MLB for runs and average. Jean Segura hit terrific all year with a .327 batting average.
Philadelphia’s pitching has been alright so far. They rank 18th in ERA and 19th in runs allowed. Vince Velasquez will take the mound on Sunday afternoon. He boasts a 3-2 record and a 4.22 ERA and has been consistent in his starts. I expect the San Diego Padres hitters to feast off of Velasquez and take the victory against the Phillies. The final score will be 6-2.
