The Phillies (65-52, 34-22 home) host the Twins (60-58, 27-34 away) in game two of this interleague series. Getting the start for the Phillies is Taijuan Walker while the Twins are turning to Pablo López. Read on to get my best bet for this Philadelphia Phillies vs. Minnesota Twins matchup.

MINNESOTA TWINS VS PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Philadelphia Phillies +1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Citizens Bank Park at 6:05 ET on Saturday, August 12th.

WHY BET THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES:

  • In their five most recent games as the favorite, the Twins have gone just 2-3 against the runline.
  • Minnesota has failed to cover the runline in three straight games when favored to win.
  • Across Taijuan Walker’s 23 starts, the Phillies have put together a record of 17-6.

MINNESOTA TWINS LOOKING TO EXTEND AL CENTRAL LEAD

The Twins take on the Phillies with the hopes of snapping their four game losing streak. This recent skid has their record sitting at 60-58, putting them 1st in the AL Central. When looking at their overall series numbers, they have gone 17-16-4. At home, they are 33-24 and 27-34.

The Minnesota Twins will turn to Pablo López, who has a 7-6 record over 23 appearances this season. The right-hander has posted an ERA of 3.81 and a K/9 rate of 10.99, along with a FIP of 3.27 and an OBP of .275.

Pablo López was victorious in his last outing, delivering a quality start and leading his team to a 9-3 triumph over the Tigers. He kept Detroit off the scoreboard while surrendering just five hits in seven innings of work.

The Twins have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 6 home runs over their last five games. Compared to other clubs, this is 5th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 8th in home runs and 14th in slugging percentage. Overall, Minnesota is averaging 4.4 runs per game (17th).

Carlos Correa has been a major contributor to the Minnesota Twins’ offense this season, boasting a .229 batting average and .401 slugging percentage. Over their last ten games, Correa has led the team in hits with a .278 average.

WILL THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

117 games into the season, the Phillies have a record of 65-52, putting them 2nd in the NL East. This mark includes an overall series 21-14-2. At home, they are 34-22 compared to 31-30 on the road.

Taijuan Walker has been a key contributor to the Phillies’ success this season, boasting an impressive 13-4 record in 23 appearances. His ERA stands at 3.98, while his K/9 is 7.39 and FIP 4.39. Opponents have had difficulty getting on base against him, as evidenced by his .301 OBP.

Taijuan Walker earned a victory in his most recent outing, as the Phillies bested the Royals 8-4. Despite surrendering four runs and seven hits, Walker was able to secure the win.

For the season, the Phillies are 7th in batting average, hitting a combined .257. Over their last ten games, they have hit .260 which is 9th in that span. Philadelphia’s average of 4.7 runs per game puts them 11th in the league. In terms of home runs, they have gone deep 137 times and have a team slugging percentage of .424.

Nick Castellanos has been a major contributor to the Philadelphia offense this season, boasting a .280 batting average and .475 slugging percentage. During the team’s last ten games, he has been particularly impressive, leading the Phillies in hits and batting an impressive .352.