Twins vs. Phillies Friday Prediction
While the Phillies have been the talk of the National League thanks to their addition of Bryce Harper, the Twins are quietly off to the same 4-1 start as Philadelphia. Can the Twins pull off the upset tonight in Philly when these teams meet at 7:05 p.m. ET?
Game Snapshot & Odds
917 Minnesota Twins (+130) at 918 Philadelphia Phillies (-157); 8 runs
Friday, April 5, 2019
7:05 p.m. ET, Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
Compare odds and from multiple different online sportsbooks and shop for the best lines at our new Baseball Odds & Betting Page.
Public Betting Trends
According to oddsmakers from online sports book BetNow.eu, the Phillies are -157 moneyline favorites. As of this writing, 70% of the betting tickets wagered at online sportsbooks are on the Phillies to beat the Twins on the moneyline.
This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our MLB Public Betting Page for updated figures on this game.
Minnesota Twins Fantasy Spin
Byron Buxton (back, ribs) entered Wednesday’s game against the Royals as a pinch-runner. Buxton was held out of the Twins’ starting lineup after suffering a rib contusion and sore back when he ran into the outfield wall on Tuesday night, but he entered the game after Nelson Cruz drew a walk in the top of the ninth inning and stole second base before scoring the go-ahead run. It was the 30th straight successful steal attempt for the 25-year-old speedster.
Philadelphia Phillies Fantasy Spin
Bryce Harper reached base in all five trips to the plate Wednesday in Philadelphia’s 9-8 loss to the Nationals. Max Scherzer struck out Harper in his first two at-bats Tuesday in the slugger’s much-anticipated return to Nationals Park, but he’s been an assassin since then, reaching safely in eight straight plate appearances. He kept the ball in the park on Wednesday but still had a monster day, walking three times (twice intentionally) while adding a pair of base hits. Harper has weathered a few slow starts in his day, but not this year. Through five games, he’s hitting an impossible .500 with three homers, two doubles, five RBI and seven walks. We’ll see how the Phillies feel about Harper in 13 years, but so far, he’s been worth every penny of his 13-year, $330 million windfall.
MLB Betting Trends
Minnesota
The Twins have now won 10 of their last 11 games dating back to last year. They’re also 7-2 in their last nine road games.
Philadelphia
The Phillies are a perfect 5-0 in their last five home games and have won six of their last seven games overall.
Prediction:
The Twins have had success at Citizens Bank Park, beating the Phillies four times in their last five road games versus Philadelphia. Minnesota is also 5-1 in Jake Odorizzi’s last six interleague starts and are 6-1 in his last seven outings when the Twins’ opponent allowed five runs or more in its previous game. Meanwhile, the Phillies have lost five of Nick Pivetta’s last six starts and are just 3-9 in his last 12 outings after they scored five runs or more in their previous game. This looks like a good spot to take the underdog.
The Pick: Minnesota Twins +130