Brewers vs Phillies Picks and Odds – Houser vs Moore
By Blair Johnson in MLB Baseball
Updated: May 3, 2021 at 6:18 am EDTPublished:
- The Milwaukee Brewers hit the road to face the Philadelphia Phillies in the first game of a four-game set Monday (May 3rd, 7:05 pm ET)
- The pitching matchup features Adrian Houser for Milwaukee and Vince Velasquez for Philly
- Read below for a preview and betting prediction for the game
The Milwaukee Brewers — coming off a 4-3 homestand that saw them take three of four games against the Los Angeles Dodgers — begin a seven-game road trip Monday in the City of Brotherly Love. The Brew Crew will take on the Phillies Monday in Philadelphia at 7:05 pm ET .
The four-game series begins with a pitching matchup between Adrian Houser and Matt Vince Velasquez.
Brewers vs Phillies Odds
| Team | Moneyline at FanDuel | Runline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Brewers | -108 | -1.5 (+155) | O 9 (-108) |
| Philadelphia Phillies | -108 | +1.5 (-188) | U 9 (-112) |
Odds as of May 2nd.
The Brewers were smoked 16-4 by the Dodgers Sunday as L.A. avoided a four-game sweep by Craig Counsell’s club. Milwaukee starting pitcher Alex Bettinger served as the team’s sacrificial lamb, giving up 11 runs (including a pair of grand slams) in his big league debut. But the thrill of capturing three tightly-contested ballgames against the defending World Series champs prior to Sunday’s blowout loss should give the Brewers confidence heading into Philly.
Meantime, Joe Girardi’s group lost two of three to the Mets after an epic bullpen implosion Sunday and enter Monday’s tilt with the same moneyline odds as the Brew Crew.
Another huge factor in Monday’s game — and moving forward for Milwaukee — is the expected return of two key cogs in its offense. Former MVP Christian Yelich hasn’t played since April 11 due to a lower back strain and Lorenzo Cain has been out since April 13 while recovering from a left quad strain. Vince Velasquez will make his third straight start after beginning the 2021 campaign in the bullpen.
Brewers’ Career Stats vs Velasquez
| Player | AB | H | HR | RBI | K | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lorenzo Cain | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .667 |
| Kolten Wong | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .333 |
| Christian Yelich | 19 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | .263 |
| Keston Hiura | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
Return of the (Former 2x Hitting) King
The Brewers have actually fared quite well without Yelich in the lineup, sporting a 12-7 record in his absence. But the offense has certainly been affected. Milwaukee has scored 75 runs in those 19 games, a 4-run per game clip.
When you throw in the fact that Yelich has three home runs against Velasquez in 19 career at-bats against the Philly hurler, Milwaukee has a distinct advantage. Plus, if the Brewers also get Cain back — who owns a 4-for-6 mark against the 28-year-old, Citizens Bank Park could be rocking for the away team. Another big factor could be Jacob Nottingham.
Another one!
That's Jacob Nottingham's first career multi-HR game.@JacobNottingham | #ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/yuyjSTGHuX
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) May 2, 2021
The 26-year-old catcher enters the series hot — hitting two homers Sunday after being reacquired from Seattle earlier in the day. The Mariners had claimed Nottingham off waivers from the Brewers last week. But the backstop is back on the Brewers and doing damage.
Phillies’ Career Stats vs Houser
| Player | AB | H | HR | RBI | K | AVG. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew McCuthen | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Rhys Hoskins | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
| Bryce Harper | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 000 |
| JT Realmuto | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Yo, Adrian
Adrians typically do well in Philly — and judging by lineup history, Milwaukee’s starter is set up for success Monday. Yes, he’s only faced the first four hitters in Philadelphia’s projected lineup a combined six times — but only Rhys Hoskins has a hit against the 28-year-old. The righty has yet to post a quality start over the his first five outings of 2021. But Houser has also worked into at least the fifth inning in every appearance and has yet to allow more than three runs in any of them. Plus, Milwaukee has won three of his four starts.
Best start of the season from Adrian Houser: 5 2/3 innings, 3 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 6 K
He was pretty solid in five April starts. Advanced numbers aren't great, but he ends the month with a 3.65 ERA.
— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) April 28, 2021
The Phillies got some encouraging news Sunday, with Bryce Harper getting his first start since being hit in the face Wednesday. Harper went 1-for-4 in the 8-7 loss. Meantime, Didi Gregorius had not played since he was hit in the ribs with a pitch on Wednesday. He delivered in a big way Sunday, launching a three-run home run in defeat. The Phillies also got J.T. Realmuto back in the lineup as well after missing the last two games with soreness in his left hand. The All-Star catcher went 0-for-4.
Didi Gregorius 3 run HR! 💥💥
Leads Phils with 17 RBIs
pic.twitter.com/1KVPswfvXN— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) May 3, 2021
Ultimately, this one appears to favor the road team. I’m fading the Phillies in this spot.
Pick: Milwaukee Brewers Moneyline (-108)
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Sports Writer
Blair Johnson is a veteran journalist and seasoned sports content creator. He has been writing and producing content as long as he can remember, with such familiar names as CNN, NFL Media and Yahoo. Blair currently lives and works in the greater Los Angeles area.
