The Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies are two teams with postseason aspirations, and they’ll play the second game of their three-game series tonight after the Phillies took the season opener last night. The Brewers will send Colin Rea (5-4, 4.71 ERA) to the mound, while the Phillies will counter with Cristoper Sanchez (0-3, 3.26 ERA). First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m.
The Phillies are -175 moneyline favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook, while the Brewers are +150 underdogs. The total is set at nine.
Brewers-Phillies picks: Wednesday, July 19
Injury report
Brewers
Out: SP Wade Miley (left elbow), 3B Brian Anderson (back), 1B Rowdy Tellez (right forearm inflammation, fractured left finger), RP Bennett Sousa (left shoulder nerve irritation), SP Brandon Woodruff (right shoulder strain)
Phillies
Out: OF Cristian Pache (right elbow inflammation), RP Seranthony Dominguez (left oblique strain), RP Jose Alvarado (left elbow inflammation), INF Josh Harrison (right wrist contusion)
Starting pitchers
Colin Rea vs. Cristopher Sanchez
While Rea doesn’t have eye-popping stats, the journeyman starter has been a godsend for a Brewers team that’s had a season full of starting pitching injuries. He’s looked exactly like did at his other stops (he has a career ERA of 4.83), and is good for five-plus innings and two runs allowed. He’s in the 71st percentile in barrel rate and the 57th percentile in walk rate.
Sanchez, who is getting his first true extended look as a starter in the Phillies’ rotation, has a 3.26 ERA in 30 1/3 innings, and is 9 2/3 innings away from tying his career-high in innings at the MLB level. He’s coming off a start where he allowed three runs in five innings against the Padres, with all of the damage being done on two home runs. That’s been a season-long trend for the 26-year-old, who has allowed a home run in each of his last four starts.
Over/Under pick
On Tuesday, these two teams cruised to this under in a game that had a better pitching matchup. I think the over hits tonight in a game that involves two pitchers who give up a lot of contact.
Pick: Over 9
Moneyline pick
The Phillies make it two in a row. They moved into the NL’s third Wild Card spot with their win last night, and have the better matchup going into tonight’s game.
Pick: Phillies