Preview: Phillies look to bounce back after an ugly loss on Friday night; Zack Wheeler on the mound at 6:05 EST

The Phillies take the field at Citizens Bank Park tonight at 6:05 EST, looking to get back in the win column after an ugly loss last night. Zack Wheeler (8-5, 2.89 ERA) gets the ball for the Phils, going up against Marcus Stroman (2-5, 4.69 ERA) for Chicago.
Last night’s loss was one of the ugliest of the season. After taking the lead in the 1st inning thanks to Kyle Schwarber’s 30th bomb of the year, the Cubs went on to score 15 straight runs, roughing up Phillies pitching all night. Kyle Gibson allowed 6 earned runs, Jeurys Familia allowed one, JoJo Romero allowed three, and Garrett Stubbs allowed five in the 9th inning.
The only true positive from last night’s game was Darick Hall’s absolute tank shot to centerfield in the 9th inning.
The team will look to bounce back with their ace on the mound, as Zack Wheeler will make his first post-all-star break start. Heading into tonight’s game, the Phillies sit at 49-44 on the year, 5 games above .500, and still hold the last Wild Card spot after the Cardinals fell to the Reds last night by a score of 9-5.
BetMGM: Bet $10, Win $200
Sign up for a new BetMGM account and place a $10 wager on ANY MLB MONEY LINE and you’ll instantly get a FREE $200 to bankroll your bets this weekend. It’s really that easy. No gimmicks or fine print, just a free $200.
Zack Wheeler vs Marcus Stroman
Zack Wheeler makes his 10th home start of the year, holding a 5-2 record at CBP with a 1.62 ERA. He’s 8-5 total on the year, with a 2.89 ERA and 108 Ks, while holding a 1.08 WHIP. Marcus Stroman makes his 7th away of the start of the year, looking to have another good outing away from Wrigley, holding just a 2.45 ERA on the road with 25 Ks.
PointsBet: $2,000 Risk Free
PointsBet is offering a ton of great MLB wagers all risk-free for new users.
Click Here to Claim $2,000 Risk-Free>>
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
Team | Spread | Money Line | Total |
Cubs | +1.5 (-138) | +146 | O8 (-108) |
Phillies | -1.5 (+115) | -174 | U8 (-112) |
Prediction
Marcus Stroman has pitched well against the Phillies throughout his career (4-4, 2.62), but I still think the Phils come away with the win tonight. Take the -1.5.
More Phillies
- Injury Updates on Jean Segura and Zach Eflin
- Bryce Harper makes fans day in Stone Harbor
- Phillies trending upwards in MLB.com’s latest Power Rankings
- Phils listed as potential landing spot for a veteran starter
Sportsbook Offers
Mandatory Credit: Getty Images