Can Dodgers swing upset vs. NL juggernaut?

Kyle Madson

Can Dodgers swing upset vs. NL juggernaut? image

A tough stretch of the Dodgers schedule continues Tuesday when they open a three-game set against the National League leading Phillies in Philadelphia. There aren't many teams that will go into a game favored over Los Angeles, but the Phillies are one of them.

BetMGM has Philadelphia as a pretty substantial favorite over the Dodgers, who send the struggling Bobby Miller to the mound against Phillies All-Star Zack Wheeler. Here's what the odds look like for Tuesday night's showdown:

Run line

Dodgers +1.5: -175
Phillies -1.5: +145

Moneyline

Dodgers: +115
Phillies: -135

Total

Over 9 runs: -105
Under 9 runs: -115

Prediction

Perhaps Miller gets his season back on track eventually. His two road starts since returning from the IL on June 19 don't inspire much confidence that it's going to happen Tuesday against Philadelphia. Miller in two road starts since coming off the IL has pitched just 8.1 innings, allowing 10 hits and eight runs with six walks and three strikeouts. Perhaps the most distressing aspect of that admittedly tiny sample size is that he managed to get through just 2.0 innings against a bad White Sox club. He gave up three runs and allowed seven base runners in that start. We're leaning toward the Phillies run line and the over for Game 1 of the showdown between two NL titans.

Phillies 7, Dodgers 4

Kyle Madson

Kyle Madson Photo

Kyle Madson neither likes writing about himself nor writing in the third person. Nevertheless, he persists. While Kyle has spent most of his writing career covering the NFL’s Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers, he’s never lost the love of baseball that has resided in the deepest recesses of his soul since he began playing T-ball at 4 years old (no matter how hard John Fisher has tried). Aside from writing, Kyle also hosts a radio show, the Insiders, with James Ham on ESPN 1320 in Sacramento. When he’s not being a sports dork, Kyle loves being a normal dork and traveling, visiting museums, diving further into K-Pop fandom (#SKZ) and hanging out with his wife and cats. Don’t follow him on Twitter or Instagram at @KyleAMadson.