Fresh off a two-game winning streak at Fenway Park, the Yankees now gear up for a pivotal three-game showdown against the top team in the National League, the Philadelphia Phillies. The Yankees are set to bolster their lineup with the return of Giancarlo Stanton, who has been sidelined since June 22nd due to a hamstring injury. Coupled with the addition of Jazz Chisholm Jr., Stanton’s comeback aims to add depth to a lineup that had struggled to generate offense outside of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto until the Boston series.
While this interleague matchup in Philadelphia promises to be thrilling, the pressure is mounting on Yankees GM Brian Cashman. With the Trade Deadline looming, Cashman is racing against time to address various roster gaps by Tuesday.
On the Phillies’ side, the term “slump” might be a bit harsh for a squad favored to win the World Series. However, a 4-9 record over their last 13 games—including loses in their last four series—indicates that the Yankees are catching them at the right time. That said, New York cannot afford to relax; Philadelphia still boasts the best overall record in baseball and is deploying three stellar pitchers in this series. Additionally, they’ve fortified their bullpen by trading for Angels closer Carlos Estévez.
Bryce Harper remains a linchpin in the Phillies’ lineup, posting a .288 batting average, 24 home runs, and a .950 OPS this season. If Shohei Ohtani wasn’t playing, Harper would arguably be the NL MVP. Nonetheless, Harper has hit a rough patch in July, registering a .200 average over 13 games following his own hamstring injury.
Trea Turner has also recently returned from a hamstring strain and has enjoyed a strong rebound season despite limited games. Turner’s .332 average and .908 OPS earned him a third All-Star nod, and he’s been on a tear lately with 10 home runs in his last 20 games.
Pitching Matchups to Watch
Monday: Luis Gil vs. Zack Wheeler (6:40 pm ET)
Luis Gil appears to be finding his form at a crucial juncture. In his last three outings, he has allowed just three runs over 17.1 innings while striking out 22 batters and walking only two. Notably, Gil has revamped his slider, throwing it 35% of the time this month versus 15% in June, with excellent results.
However, he faces a formidable adversary in Zack Wheeler, a legitimate Cy Young Award contender with a 2.55 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 123.2 innings. Wheeler utilizes a mid-90s fastball to dominate the upper part of the strike zone and mixes in a sinker and cutter effectively to neutralize batters.
Tuesday: Gerrit Cole vs. Aaron Nola (6:40 pm ET)
Gerrit Cole has had an oscillating season since coming back from an injury. He followed two strong six-inning performances with a subpar outing against the Mets, where home runs have been his Achilles’ heel, giving up nine in seven starts this season.
Aaron Nola will be a tough opponent for the Yankees as well. With an 11-4 record and a 3.44 ERA, Nola has conceded more than three runs only twice in his last 13 starts. His fastball-curveball combination, especially his knuckle curve thrown 32% of the time, presents a significant challenge.
Wednesday: Nestor Cortes vs. Cristopher Sánchez (12:35 pm ET)
Nestor Cortes continues to struggle away from home, exemplified by his recent outings in Boston. Cortes has allowed 24 hits and 15 runs in his last three starts, pushing his ERA to 4.13.
Cristopher Sánchez rounds out the fierce Phillies rotation. An All-Star this season, Sánchez has posted a 3.05 ERA and given up only three homers in 115 innings. With a ground-ball rate near the top of the league, Sánchez’s sinker-changeup combo may trouble a Yankees lineup prone to grounding into double plays.
Betting Insights with Carlos SME
Regarding the betting landscape for this series, strategizing the wagers involves keen attention to the pitching matchups. Zack Wheeler’s dominance and Luis Gil’s emerging form could make Monday’s game a low-scoring affair, favoring the under. Gerrit Cole’s inconsistency against Aaron Nola’s reliability might tilt Tuesday’s game slightly in the Phillies’ favor. With Nestor Cortes’ road woes and Cristopher Sánchez’s grounder-inducing prowess, Wednesday’s game might also see the Phillies as the safer bet. Keep an eye on player performance trends and any last-minute roster updates that could impact the outcome.
As the Yankees and Phillies clash, keep these key factors in mind to enrich your viewing and betting experience.
