The Phillies are unsurprisingly the underdog on the series line against the LA Dodgers.

DraftKings lists the Phils at +120 to win the three-game series, while the undefeated Dodgers check in at -150.

I’d actually call the pitching matchups a toss up when looking at them.

Jesus Luzardo goes against Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Friday, Aaron Nola faces struggling rookie Roki Sasaki on Saturday, and then it’s Tyler Glasnow versus Cristopher Sanchez on Sunday.

The reason I call it a toss up is because Sanchez is so strong at home that can match whatever Glasnow throws at the Phils. Nola has the edge on Sasaki, and, while on paper, Yamamoto is a better pitcher than Luzardo, the Phils’ Friday starter can hold his own in big matchups.


The Dodgers and Phils both have top-five run differentials and their big bats have had relatively strong starts.

Four players on each roster have at least seven hits, a group led by Shohei Ohtani’s 10.

As with any series between heavy hitters, I’d expect a decent amount of runs to be scored, especially with the humidity in the air on Friday night.

The series opener will probably see a mixture of big hits and strikeouts.

Yamamato had an ERA over a point better on the road last season and is coming off a 10-strikeout performance against the Tigers.

Luzardo fanned 11 Nationals in his Phillies debut and he’s got some decent numbers, albeit in a small sample size, against the Dodgers lineup, which will be without Freddie Freeman.

A handful of Dodgers, mainly Teoscar Hernandez and Will Smith, hit lefties better than righties. I would mix one of those guys into a Same Game Parlay if you choose to run with players from both sides.

Ohtani has the most hits on the Dodgers, as does Schwarber for the Phillies. I’d combine them with Hernandez and Harper, off a two-hit afternoon, for a hit or total bases SGP.

DraftKings has a 4-leg parlay profit boost available that is eligible for SGPs. DK has a Home Run No Sweat available as well, which I would use on Schwarber or Ohtani to be extra chalky.BetMGM has a Home Run Boost Token for Friday’s games as well. FanDuel has a strikeout over/under 30 percent profit boost available, which you could use on either pitcher in case they replicate their last outings. There are plenty of options for PA sports betting ahead of a compelling weekend series.