The Philadelphia Phillies continue their series against the New York Mets on Thursday night at Citizens Bank Park. Philadelphia enters the matchup at 54-43 and remains in the middle of the National League playoff race. The Mets have fallen to 40-57 and are looking to avoid extending a rough stretch after dropping three straight games.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Mets Need More From Their Lineup
New York has struggled to generate offense during its recent skid. The Mets rank near the bottom third of Major League Baseball in team batting average, and too often the lineup has relied on one or two hitters to carry the load.
Juan Soto continues to produce at the plate and remains the biggest threat in the lineup. Bo Bichette has also provided steady production, while Francisco Alvarez has added power from the catcher position.
Christian Scott is expected to start for New York. He has put together a solid season with a 3.17 ERA and has given the Mets a chance to win most times he has taken the mound. If he can work deep into the game, New York has an opportunity to keep this one close.
Philadelphia Has the Power Edge
The Phillies have not been one of baseball’s highest-average hitting teams, but they continue to win with timely power.
Kyle Schwarber remains one of the league’s top home run hitters, while J.T. Realmuto and Bryson Stott have delivered key hits during Philadelphia’s recent success. The Phillies also continue to create scoring opportunities with aggressive baserunning.
Philadelphia’s bullpen has been one of its strengths throughout the season. The Phillies have converted most late leads and rank among the better teams in baseball at protecting victories.
Matchup to Watch
The biggest battle will be Christian Scott against Philadelphia’s lineup.
Scott has shown he can limit damage, but the Phillies have enough power throughout the order to change the game with one swing. If New York falls behind early, asking its offense to erase a deficit against Philadelphia’s bullpen becomes a difficult task.
On the other side, the Mets must take advantage of scoring chances when they get them. Opportunities have been limited during their recent losing streak.
Best Bet
The Phillies deserve to be favored, but the better betting value may be on the total.
Christian Scott has pitched well this season, and Philadelphia has received quality pitching during its recent winning streak. New York has also struggled offensively over the past week, making runs harder to find.
- Pick: Under 8.5 Runs
- Score Prediction: Phillies 4, Mets 2.
