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Phillies vs. Blue Jays Prediction and Odds for Wednesday, July 13 (Give Wheeler Some Respect)

By Joe Summers

Zack Wheeler hasn't allowed a run in 17 consecutive innings as the Phillies battle the Blue Jays tonight
Zack Wheeler hasn't allowed a run in 17 consecutive innings as the Phillies battle the Blue Jays tonight / Tim Nwachukwu/GettyImages
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It's time to recognize Zack Wheeler as the Cy Young candidate he is. The 32-year-old Phillies righty has a 17 inning scoreless streak and hasn't allowed more than three runs in a start since April 23rd. Somehow, Wheeler is an underdog today against a Toronto team that's lost nine of 11.

Sooner or later, Wheeler will get his rightful recognition and it should start tonight against the Blue Jays at 7:07 PM EST.

Toronto sends Ross Stripling to the mound, who has impressed but is nowhere near Wheeler's level. The Blue Jays lost each of his last two starts, but can they pull a rabbit out of their hat to pick up a home win?

Here are the odds from WynnBET Sportsbook to help parse the value in this Phillies vs Blue Jays matchup:

Phillies vs Blue Jays Odds, Run Line and Total

Run Line:

  • Phillies: -1.5 (+152)
  • Blue Jays: +1.5 (-185)

Moneyline:

  • Phillies: +100
  • Blue Jays: -110

Total:

  • 8 (Over -105/Under -115)

Phillies vs Blue Jays Prediction and Pick

I'm not utterly floored all that often, but I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw Zack Wheeler was an underdog today. Do people not realize how incredible this guy is? What is going on here??

Wheeler was snubbed from the All-Star Game, not properly respected in the Cy Young market, and apparently he can't even get respect from sportsbooks against a struggling Toronto team. Just look at the guy's MLB Statcast Pitching Profile:

He excels in every area, and the Phillies are 8-3 in his last 11 starts.

As for the Blue Jays, Ross Stripling's 4.17 expected ERA implies he's been lucky to amass only a 3.34 actual ERA to this point. He's in the 13th percentile in expected batting average and doesn't go deep into games, putting pressure on a mediocre bullpen.

Philadelphia is 4-2 in it's last six as a road underdog while Toronto is 2-7 in its last nine as a favorite. With a significant starting pitching edge, all signs point to the Phillies.

It's time to give Wheeler the respect he's earned. But until then, we'll just keep cashing.

Pick: Phillies ML (+100)

Follow all of Joe Summers' betting picks here.

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