Phillies vs. Angels Preview: Odds and Pitching Matchup for Aug. 29

The Philadelphia Phillies will hit the midpoint of their nine-game West Coast road trip when they face the Los Angeles Angels at 10:07 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29. Philadelphia (75-60) needed all nine innings to beat the Angels (52-83) last night, surging ahead in the final frame on a grand slam from Edmundo Sosa.

Anaheim is under an extreme heat warning today, but first pitch is scheduled for just 13 minutes before sunset. As such, the Phillies will avoid the worst of it. Expect a starting temperature of 86 degrees, ticking down towards 80 as the night wears on. Humidity between 50 and 65 percent will make for uncomfortable conditions, but wind gusts between 6 and 12 miles per hour out of the south-southwest will help stir the air… and push fly balls over the wall.

NBC Sports Philadelphia holds the broadcasting rights for this late night clash.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: PHI -250 / ANG +205
• Run Line: PHI -1.5 (-138) / ANG +1.5 (+115)
• Over/Under: 8 (Over -105 / Under -115)

Pitching Matchup

The Angels will send Ryan Johnson (5.75 ERA, 67.1 innings pitched, 1.43 WHIP and 6.68 K/9) to the mound as they try to snap a five-game losing streak. He fired a gem his last time out, allowing just one hit in seven innings while eliciting weak contact. With an ERA of 1.69 since the calendar flipped to August — it sat at 7.63 for the season on July 31 — the young righty might’ve figured things out as his first season as a starting pitcher nears its conclusion. Luis Arraez is the only Phillie with any experience against Johnson, going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles.

The Phillies will counter with lefty Cristopher Sánchez (2.62 ERA, 168.1 innings pitched, 1.22 WHIP and 10.37 K/9). Much like Johnson, Sánchez doesn’t have a whole lot of history with the Angels, limiting them to three hits in 19 at-bats. Five of those at-bats came against longtime Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud, who has the Angels only extra base hit against Sánchez, a double.

Mike Trout, the Angels’ superstar who grew up an Eagles fan in New Jersey, is 0-for-2 with a walk against Sánchez; as a team, they have six strikeouts in 20 plate appearances. Given the lack of a track record, Sánchez’s strikeouts line is the safest play; Luis Arraez has struggled recently but could continue his run of success against Johnson. For the pessimistic Phillies fan, Johnson is an interesting pick to continue his recent hot streak, while steady pros like Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper are always solid picks to round out a parlay.