Phillies vs Dodgers Picks, Props & Starting Pitchers (May 2)
By Chris Amberley in MLB Baseball
Published:
- LA is a -155 moneyline favorite in the Phillies vs Dodgers odds on Tuesday
- Bryce Harper (Tommy John surgery) will make his season debut for Philly
- Check out the latest Phillies vs Dodgers predictions, game props and probable pitchers below
When Bryce Harper underwent Tommy John surgery last November, the hope was that maybe he’d be ready to return to Philadelphia’s lineup after the All-Star Break. Instead, less than six months later, he’s slated to make his season debut.
Harper will be in the lineup on Tuesday against the Dodgers, and the Phillies will need his bat after being pegged as underdogs in the MLB odds.
Phillies vs Dodgers Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Phillies | +135 | +1.5 (-140) | O 7.5 (-110) |
| LA Dodgers | -155 | -1.5 (+120) | U 7.5 (-110) |
Los Angeles is currently a -155 moneyline favorite, in a contest with a total of just 7.5. First pitch is scheduled for 10 pm ET at Dodger Stadium, with mostly clear skies and 57 degree game-time temperatures in the forecast.
Odds as of May 2 at FanDuel. Claim the FanDuel Sportsbook promo code.
Harper Ready Way Ahead of Schedule
Rehab from Tommy John Surgery usually takes much longer, even if it’s for a positional player looking solely to hit. But Harper is no ordinary athlete. The two-time NL MVP odds champion targeted this week’s series against LA as his return date following surgery, and he wasn’t going to be denied.
Harper got final clearance from doctors on Monday, returning 160 days after surgery. That’s reportedly the fastest return from a Tommy John operation to a MLB lineup, beating the previous mark by 24 days.
Good morning
Bryce harper plays baseball today pic.twitter.com/bjgHrPJoJo
— Philly Sports Sufferer (@mccrystal_alex) May 2, 2023
At this point it’s unclear where he’ll hit in the lineup, but his presence will be a huge boost to Philadelphia. He slashed .304/.375/.557 with 23 home runs last season, playing with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
Philadelphia vs Los Angeles Probable Pitchers
Harper and the rest of the Phillies hitters in the MLB starring lineups will face-off against Dodgers lefty Julio Urias. The 26-year-old has never faced Harper before, but has fared relatively well against Philadelphia batters in the past.
Urias has held current Phillies to a .245 average over 53 at-bats, and a .286 on base percentage. He’s fresh off two of his worst outings of the season though, and has been serving up homers at a horrendous rate.
Last time out he was shelled by Pittsburgh. The Pirates tagged him for seven hits and six runs, taking him deep twice. Urias’ previous outing lasted only 3.1 innings, and he was lit up for five runs on seven hits by the Cubs. He’s surrendered seven home runs in his last four outings, including at least two in three straight starts.
Strahm vs Urias Stats
| 2-2 | Record | 3-3 |
| 2.31 | ERA | 4.41 |
| 0.81 | WHIP | 1.29 |
| .148 | OBA | .278 |
| 4.6 | SO/W Ratio | 5.0 |
Philadelphia meanwhile, will counter with a lefty of their own in Matt Strahm. The 31-year-old is on pace for career-bests in nearly every key statistical category, but he’s yet to face an offense as potent as LA’s.
Strahm has never been a full-time starter prior to this season and is drastically exceeding his career marks for opponent slugging percentage and opponent OPS. He’s got marks that are .106 and .192 points lower respectively in those two categories, which suggests regression is coming his way.
Phillies vs Dodgers Predictions
It shouldn’t shock anyone if that happens on Tuesday, as the Dodgers lineup is red-hot. They smacked four home runs en route to a 13-4 victory in the series opener, giving them 19 runs in their past two games. LA (17-13, 10-6 home) enters play riding a four-game winning streak, outscoring the opposition by 17 runs. Through 30 games they’re the third highest scoring team in the NL, leading the league in home runs.
Mooookie! pic.twitter.com/wIExA4JXKs
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 2, 2023
Not to be outdone, Philly (15-15, 7-10 away) has won seven of 10 outings coming in. They boast the NL’s second best batting average, and are top-five in slugging and OPS. Offense hasn’t been the problem in 2023, it’s been an underwhelming pitching staff that’s led to their .500 record.
The Phillies are yielding 4.8 runs per game, the sixth worst mark in the NL. Their bullpen is a bottom-five unit, and were beaten up by LA on Monday to the tune of five runs and seven hits.
That contest easily exceeded the total, and we should expect plenty more offense on Tuesday. The Dodgers bats are clicking right now, and Urias’ form is bad. He can’t keep the ball in the yard, and that’s going to be a problem versus a Phillies lineup that just got a whole lot more potent with Harper returning.
Pick: Over 7.5 Runs (-110), LA Dodgers Over 4.5 Runs (+100)
Sports Writer
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
