Free MLB Picks Today: Oakland Athletics vs Philadelphia Phillies 6/18/23

The Philadelphia Phillies (37-34) are on the road to face the Oakland Athletics (19-54) at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Sunday with the visitors eyeing a sweep of the three-game Interleague series.

The Phillies lead the series 2-0 after winning 3-2 in 12 innings on Saturday, their fifth straight victory overall. Andrew Vasquez got the win with two innings out of the bullpen, and Jeff Hoffman picked up his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth.

Kyle Schwarber was 1 for 5 with one RBI in the win. Carlos Perez went 3 for 5 with a home run and a double for the Athletics. He drove in two runs.

ON THE MOUND

Zack Wheeler (5-4, 3.73 ERA) is slated for the start for Philadelphia. The right-hander allowed one run over six innings in his last start, a 15-3 home win over the Diamondbacks on Tuesday.

He got the win, giving up four hits while striking out seven and walking one. Lefty Hogan Harris (2-0, 4.84 ERA) will toe the rubber for Oakland. It’s his first appearance of the season against the Phillies.

In his last appearance on Tuesday, Harris got the win at home against the Rays. He came on in relief to throw seven innings and gave up one run on four hits, striking out two, in the 2-1 victory.

AT THE PLATE

Over the last five games, Philadelphia has averaged 6.6 runs a game, up from their season average of 4.5, while performing better across the board (.274/.335/.452). Against southpaws like Harris this season, the Phils have a .729 OPS, second highest in the league.

Nick Castellanos is the team’s most productive hitter against left-handers with a .893 OPS in 81 at-bats. Oakland is averaging only 2.2 runs per game in the last five, down from 3.6 for the season, with their slash line slipping across the board (.200/.267/.273).

The A’s have a .647 OPS against righties in 2023, the third highest in the league. With a .843 OPS over 173 at-bats, Ryan Noda has been their best hitter against right-handers.

HOME AND AWAY

Philadelphia is on a five-game winning streak on the road, bringing their record to 18-23 in 2023. The Phils have scored 4.5 runs per game away from home while allowing 5.2 runs.

Oakland has lost four in a row at home. The A’s are 9-28 at home this season, averaging 3.1 runs per game while surrendering 5.9. In the last 10 games at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum between the teams, Oakland is 6-4 with an average scoreline of 3.1-2.8.

STANDINGS UPDATE

The Phillies are third in the NL East, eight games behind the division-leading Braves. The Athletics are fifth in the AL West, 24 games behind the Rangers.