The National League Division Series between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies is all square at 1-1, and the series heads to Citi Field in Flushing, New York for Game 3 after two tense matchups.
This is the first ever postseason meeting between the long-time NL East rivals. The Mets shocked Philly with a late surge to win Game 1, and Nick Castellanos and the Phillies returned the favor with a walk-off win in Game 2.
Aaron Nola takes the mound for Philadelphia against the Mets’ Sean Manaea in Game 3.
Read below for our experts’ predictions and player prop picks for this pivotal matchup.
Both Game 3 starters – Philadelphia’s Nola and New York’s Manaea – have postseason experience and they will be hoping to make that count.
Nola has made nine starts in the playoffs over the last two years for the Phillies and the Mets’ Manaea has featured four times, including twice with the Oakland Athletics in 2019 and 2020, once with the San Diego Padres in 2022, and once with the Mets in the Wild Card round last week.
Nola won his last two starts of the regular season, allowing five earned runs in 11 innings pitched while striking out 14 in wins over the Washington Nationals and the Chicago Cubs.
He went 1-1 against the Mets this season, tossing a four-hit shutout against New York in May before lasting just 4.1 innings in an 11-3 loss to New York last month - giving up six earned runs in that contest.
Manaea lost each of his last two outings, both against the Milwaukee Brewers. He allowed two earned runs on five hits in five innings in a loss to the Brewers in their Wild Card Series last week.
He also went 1-1 against the Phillies this season in three starts. In his last outing against Philadelphia less than three weeks ago, Manaea allowed three runs in seven innings in a 12-5 victory.
This is the first time these hated rivals have faced each other in the postseason, and it feels like it will go the distance. Look for the Mets to cover the +1.5-run line at home in another tight result.
Both teams are desperate for a World Series title. The Mets, who just won their first postseason series in nine years, have not won it all since 1986.
The Phillies have been much closer, reaching the NLCS the last two years and making the World Series twice since last winning it all in 2008.
Both teams are playing aggressively and not waiting around for things to happen. The teams have combined for more than seven runs in both games of the series already.
That mirrors the regular season, where the two teams totaled more than seven runs in 10 of 13 contests. Despite the quality pitching on the mound, look for the teams to keep that trend going and total more than seven runs in Game 3.
It was another productive season for eight-time All-Star and two-time National League MVP Bryce Harper, who batted .285 with 30 home runs and 87 RBIs for the Phillies.
He is hitting .400 with two extra base hits in two games so far in the postseason. Harper had a double in the Game 1 loss and then a two-run homer in the Phillies’ Game 2 victory.
His bat is as valuable as any in Philadelphia’s lineup. Harper has torn up opposing pitching the last two years in the Division Series round. He batted .483 with three doubles, five home runs and 10 RBI and he is poised to post similar numbers this go-around as well.
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Philadelphia Phillies | -115 ML |
New York Mets | -105 ML |
Run Line | PHI Phillies -1.5 |
Total Runs | O/U 7.0 |
Kyle Schwarber (Philadelphia Phillies) | +370 |
Trea Turner (Philadelphia Phillies) | +425 |
Bryce Harper (Philadelphia Phillies) | +450 |
Francesco Lindor (New York Mets) | +350 |
Pete Alonso (New York Mets) | +425 |
Mark Vientos (New York Mets) | +450 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.