Philadelphia Phillies Odds: Betting 2024 Season

Can Bryce Harper and the Phils finally break through this season?

To make playoffs: Yes -225, no +180
To win NL East: +325
To win NL pennant: +750
To win World Series: +1400

The Phillies seem to have established a pattern the past two seasons: They finish way behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East but then upset the Braves in the NLDS despite not having home-field advantage.

Kyle Schwarber had quite the season with 47 homers (second in majors), 104 RBI, 108 runs scored and 126 walks but also hit just .197. He became one of only 13 MLB players since 1920 (when RBI became official) with a 120 walk/100 R/100 RBI/45 HR season.

Pretty much everyone is back for Philadelphia this season as the club was able to sign its two aces, Aaron Nola and Zach Wheeler, to long-term extensions. Nola was set for free agency this winter and got a seven-year, $172 million deal.

Last year, Nola made 32 starts for the third consecutive season and went 12-9 with a 4.46 ERA with 202 strikeouts to 45 walks. The Phillies went 19-13 in his starts and won eight of his last nine. At Citizens Bank Park, Nola went 6-3 with a 3.29 ERA (32 ER, 87.2 IP) as the Phillies went 10-4 in his 14 starts at home. Among all National League starters in 2023, Nola ranked tied for fourth in starts, tied for fifth in innings pitched, sixth in opponents OBP (.283), strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.49) & walk rate (5.7 %), seventh in WHIP (1.15) and tied for eighth in strikeouts.

Nola is good but Wheeler is better and he wasn’t set for free agency until next winter, but the Phils locked him up to a three-year, $126 million deal. Wheeler’s deal carries the highest average annual value ($42 million) for a contract extension in MLB history. It is the third-highest AAV for any pitcher behind Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander.

Wheeler’s 19.6 bWAR and 19.3 fWAR over the past four years are each the best in the majors among pitchers. He’s led the National League in strikeouts and innings pitched during his four seasons with the Phillies. An NL Cy Young Award runner-up in 2021, Wheeler also won a Gold Glove last season.

Philadelphia opens the season March 28 at home vs. Atlanta and either Nola or Wheeler will be on the mound.