Betting on Boston at Philadelphia Wednesday MLB Game Analysis & Pick

The Phillies and Red Sox opened their home-and home interleague series with two games at Fenway Park and Philadelphia adding the DH. On Wednesday, the series shifts to the City of Brotherly Love and the Red Sox lose the DH. Before heading into the matchup, Boston is coming off a weekend series against the Detroit Tigers, which ended at 2-1. And last night, they won the first game of the series against the Phillies. For Philadelphia, it wasn’t the best weekend. They were swept by the St. Louis Cardinals, ending the series at 0-4. The Red Sox should still be online MLB odds favorites for Wednesday’s matchup.

Boston at Philadelphia MLB Betting Preview & Game Info

We feel you, @mattbarnesRHP! pic.twitter.com/g2Dp4X9piI

— #VoteRedSox (@RedSox) June 13, 2017

When: Wednesday, June 14, 7:05 PM ET Where: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia Probable pitchers (away/home): Brian Johnson/Jeremy Hellickson TV: MLB Extra Innings Stream: MLB.tv Radio: Boston / Philadelphia MLB Odds: Red Sox favored by TBA

Why Bet On Boston?

Entering this week, Boston was 25-9 against the NL since Sept. 4, 2015. At 219-155 (.586), the Red Sox trail the Yankees (.587, 219-154) by a half game for the best winning percentage in Interleague play since its inception in 1997. Since 2003, the Sox’s .642 winning percentage (174-97) in Interleague games ranks well ahead of the 2nd-best mark in that time (NYY; .590, 160-111). Dustin Pedroia has hit .338 (236-for- 698) with a .401 OBP in 177 career Interleague games. Among players with at least 500 AB in Interleague play, Pedroia ranks 2nd all-time in AVG behind only Mike Piazza (.340) and is 5th all-time in OBP. Pedroia has not committed an error in his last 85 games (last: 8/19/16 at DET), totaling 300 chances in that time. In that span (since 8/20/16), all other 2nd basemen have combined to make 262 errors. Pedroia holds the longest career errorless games streak at 2B in Red Sox history (98 from 7/30/09-5/19/10). The Red Sox are 25-1 when closer Craig Kimbrel pitches this season; in the only loss (5/19 at OAK, 10 innings), he threw a perfect 9th inning. It’s lefty Brian Johnson (2-0, 3.44) here. He labored through a tough outing on Friday night, allowing eight hits and three runs over 4 1/3 innings in a no-decision against the Tigers. He walked one and struck out two. Johnson tossed a shutout in his previous start for the Red Sox but wasn’t as successful vs. Detroit. He would have been on the hook for a loss if not for a furious eighth-inning comeback led by Mitch Moreland and Jackie Bradley Jr. Johnson served up a pair of homers, though luckily both were of the solo variety. Boston’s relievers hurled 4 2/3 scoreless innings and only scattered three hits after Johnson’s short outing. Johnson gave way to Heath Hembree with one out in the fifth inning. Hembree ignited the Boston bullpen’s stellar night, escaping the messy fifth before tossing a scoreless sixth frame.

Why Bet On Philadelphia?

The Phils are without second baseman Cesar Hernandez. He was put on the DL over the weekend retroactive to June 10 with a left oblique strain. Hernandez suffered the injury on Friday while making a throw. It should knock him out until late June. Howie Kendrick missed six weeks earlier this season with a similar injury, but Hernandez said he will not need as much time. Kendrick, the team’s left fielder, will shift to his original position. Kendrick started in 23 games at second base for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. He played 113 games there in 2015. But he was moved to the outfield because his range at second has diminished. It will create more playing time for Michael Saunders and Daniel Nava, two veterans who do not figure into the rebuilding franchise’s long-term plans, while their prospects remain in the minors. It’s Jeremy Hellickson (5-4, 4.50) on the mound. He allowed three runs and 10 hits over six innings last time out in St. Louis in a loss. Hellickson came out for the bottom of the third and allowed four straight hard-hit balls, three hits and a sacrifice fly as the Cardinals quickly tied the game. Two innings later, Hellickson hung a changeup and Aledmys Diaz hit it over the wall in left-center to give the Cardinals the lead for good. “He was up in the zone, made some bad pitches with his changeup, gave up a lot of hits, but bared down when he had to and held them to three runs,” Manager Pete Mackanin said of Hellickson. Hellickson has been an interesting piece of the Phillies’ rebuild, as everyone assumed they’d deal him last year at the deadline. They kept him, then offered him a qualifying offer in the past winter and he accepted that. This series of events has once again been made him a candidate to be dealt at the deadline. Unfortunately for the Phillies, he isn’t having the same kind of success. Most notably, he hasn’t been able to miss any bats, striking out only four batters per nine innings.

Boston at Philadelphia MLB Betting Pick: Over Total

I expect at total of 9 for this game and I’d go over with two untrustworthy pitchers.