Athletics at Phillies

Under the lights of Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies (16-20) look to ride a wave of momentum that has seen them win seven of their last eight games, while a battered Athletics (18-17) squad tries to protect its narrow lead in the American League West. This matchup pits an elite arm finding his groove against a southpaw searching for both his form and his health.

I have seen plenty of teams struggle with a specific "kryptonite" like the Phillies' 2-11 record against left-handed starters this season, but you have to look at the specific lefty they are facing tonight. Jeffrey Springs was sharp early in the year, but his last three starts have been a disaster, yielding 13 earned runs over just 14 innings. He is coming off a start shortened by hip soreness, and in a hitter-friendly park where the wind is gusting 11 mph straight out to center field, that is a volatile combination. Bryce Harper is seeing the ball like a beach ball right now with three home runs in his last two games, and Kyle Schwarber’s power profile at home—where he has hit 8 of his 11 home runs—is perfectly suited to exploit a pitcher who recently surrendered four home runs in a single outing.

On the other side, Zack Wheeler is looking like his elite self again, sporting a 1.00 WHIP and an 11.5 K/9 rate that should feast on an Oakland lineup missing its biggest threat. The loss of Shea Langeliers to the paternity list cannot be overstated; he is Oakland's primary source of production and their best defensive deterrent behind the plate. Replacing him with Jonah Heim, who has not caught a single baserunner in 13 attempts this year, is an invitation for Trea Turner and this aggressive Philadelphia baserunning unit to create chaos on the paths. When you combine the surge under interim manager Don Mattingly with Oakland's depleted roster and Springs' health concerns, the Phillies are the clear play to keep their winning streak alive.