Mets vs. Phillies: Game 1 predictions, odds and picks — Sept 13, MLB 2024

On Friday evening, the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies will begin their penultimate series between each other this season. With Philly having taken six of eight meetings between the clubs so far this year, New York will be pushing hard for the sake of their playoff hopes.

Although it looks highly probable that the Phillies will be heading to the postseason, the chances for the Mets remain in flux. Friday's game will start at 7:15 p.m. from Citi Field in Queens.

Phillies vs Mets recent form and records

The Phillies' 88-58 record gives them the best record in the NL, edging out the Los Angeles Dodgers by one game. 8-2 over their last 10, manager Rob Thomson's side now leads the NL East by an even more significant margin by increasing their lead over the second-place Mets to eight games.

Also 8-2 in their last 10, the Mets have leapfrogged the Atlanta Braves to take back the second place in the NL East. The Mets (80-66) also hold a game lead over the Braves in occupying the third and final NL Wild Card playoff slot.

Players to Watch

Starting Pitchers

PHI: Aaron Nola (12-7, 4.31 ERA) vs NYM: Jose Quintana (8-9, 4.09 ERA)

Nola has a 1.181 WHIP, 2.3 BB/9 and 167 K in 177 IP.

Last Start: Loss, 4.2 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K vs MIA

Career vs NYM: 10-8 3.21 ERA (159.2 IP, 57 ER) 18 HR in 27 Games

Quintana has a 1.309 WHIP, 3.5 BB/9 and 118 K in 152 IP.

Last Start: Win, 6.2 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K vs CIN

Career vs PHI: 0-2 3.94 ERA (59.1 IP, 26 ER) 5 HR in 11 Games

Must Watch Hitters

Phillies

Kyle Schwarber has been swinging one of the hottest bats in baseball. Over the past two weeks, Schwarber's 1.315 OPS ranks behind only Eugenio Suarez of the Arizona Diamondbacks for the top number in MLB. Moreover, Schwarber's last 43 at-bats have seen him rock seven home runs and 13 RBIs.

A career .279 hitter against the Mets, Trea Turner has also been a big part of his team's recent success. Over his past 12 games, the former NL batting champ has hit four home runs and eight RBIs.

Although right fielder Nick Castellanos is going through somewhat of a slump, he still has seven RBIs on his last seven hits. A .285 hitter against New York, Castellanos boasts eight home runs and 26 RBIs in 46 career games against the divisional foes.

Mets

Jose Iglesias may be far from the highest-profile player on his team, but the Mets second baseman is quietly having quite the season. A .317 hitter through 69 games, Iglesias has gone six for his last 16 and owns a team-best .974 OPS over the past week.

Francisco Lindor continues to build his NL MVP case. Now seven homers away from hitting a career-high, Lindor's .831 OPS is his highest since he contended for MVP as a member of the 2019 Cleveland Indians.

Mark Vientos has been a big part of his team's recent success. His walk-off home run against the Cincinnati Reds last weekend helped the team to an eight-game win streak. In his last 11 games, Vientos has hit .275 with three home runs and six RBIs.

Phillies vs Mets baseball betting odds

Friday 9/13	Money Line	Run Spread	Total Runs
Philadelphia Phillies	- 160	-1.5 +125	U 8.5 -105
New York Mets	+ 135	+ 1.5 -155	0 8.5 -115

Phillies vs Mets expert picks and game prediction

Coming into this series, both teams are among the hottest in MLB. However, with their last three series coming against the Red Sox, Reds, and Blue Jays, the Mets have not exactly had to contend with superstar clubs. By the same token, the Phillies have had only to contend with the Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays.

Since the beginning of the month, Philly has scored 10 more runs than the Mets, but their team average ranks 27th out of 30 teams. Though the Mets could certainly win this one, the historical data leans in Philly's favor.

Run Line: +1.5 -155

Total Runs: U 8.5 -105

Prediction: Phillies W, 4-2