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Phillies-Padres series odds: Back in Philadelphia, a 1-1 series is waiting for the next swing

The series shifted to Philadelphia at 1-1, and oddsmakers see it as a toss-up.

Ha-Seong Kim of the San Diego Padres celebrates a double play during the eighth inning in game two of the National League Championship Series at PETCO Park on October 19, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Ha-Seong Kim of the San Diego Padres celebrates a double play during the eighth inning in game two of the National League Championship Series at PETCO Park on October 19, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)Read moreHarry How / Getty Images
    by Jeff Neiburg, Action Network
    Published 

Most sportsbooks suspend series markets during games, but you’d have to imagine the Philadelphia Phillies were huge favorites to reach the World Series after they were done at the plate in the top of the second inning Wednesday in San Diego. Already ahead in the series, 1-0, the Phillies had a 4-0 lead and Aaron Nola on the mound. A 2-0 series lead was in sight.

Of course, the Padres rallied, evened the series, and now the NLCS heads to Philadelphia for three straight. Advantage Phillies, after splitting the two road games? Advantage Padres, given their pitching depth?

Flip a coin. That’s how oddsmakers see this one heading into Friday night’s Game Three.

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Phillies vs. Padres NLCS odds through two games (BetMGM)

  1. Phillies: -110

  2. Padres: -110

  3. Series game total: Over 5.5 games (-375); under 5.5 games (+280)

While neither team is the clear favorite to take the series, San Diego has the advantage in Game Three Friday night. The Padres are throwing Joe Musgrove, while the Phillies are going with struggling lefty Ranger Suarez. Despite the pitching advantage, San Diego is only a short favorite Friday night and may be the smart bet to take a 2-1 series lead in a pivotal Game Three.

Things will get interesting in Game Four. Neither manager announced a starting pitcher during the off day Thursday, though Phillies manager Rob Thomson made it clear that ace Zack Wheeler will not get the ball on short rest. The Padres are most likely to go to Mike Clevinger, while the Phillies will go with one of Noah Syndergaard, Kyle Gibson, or Bailey Falter.

That means Saturday could be an all-hands-on-deck Game Four that features a lot of calls to the bullpen. And then we’d see another Wheeler-Yu Darvish matchup in Game Five Monday night.

San Diego does have the better bullpen, and the better starter going Friday night. So it’s hard to see this as a real coin flip entering the weekend, even if Bryce Harper has been hitting the cover off the ball and the Philadelphia crowd helps in any measurable way.

It feels like the Padres should be priced as a higher favorite right now. Take that for what it’s worth (at this stage, not much).

The Inquirer is not an online gambling operator, or a gambling site. We provide this information about sports betting for entertainment purposes only.