MLB Betting: The Philadelphia Phillies are expected to get Cliff Lee back on Monday as they host the San Francisco Giants. Lee has been on the DL since late May and it could be that this start and his next start are simply showcase starts as the Phillies look to trade him. Lee has the potential to be a dominating starter who could impact the pennant race. Here is a look at Monday’s game and MLB picks:
Probable Pitching Matchup – Vogelsong vs. Lee
The Giants should be going with Ryan Vogelsong on Monday. He is 5-7 on the season with a 3.86 ERA. He has lost his last four starts but he has pitched well. The Giants simply are not scoring Vogelsong any runs. He has a 2.92 ERA in his last four starts, all losses. The Giants have not scored any runs for him in his last four outings. He has thrown 18 innings in his career against the Phillies with a 1-0 record and a 3.00 ERA.
Cliff Lee is 4-4 on the season with a 3.18 ERA. The Phillies could be looking to trade Lee and if so he would probably get two starts before the trading deadline which is late this month. Lee has completely owned the Giants in the last decade going 5-0 against them with a 0.88 ERA.
Game Notes
The Giants have won six of the last ten in this series. Four of the last six have gone over the total. The Giants have won 7 of the last 10 in Philadelphia with four of the last six going over. The Giants have actually been a better road team than a home team but they will likely be underdogs in this contest against Lee and the Phillies.
MLB Picks
If Lee is ready to go, and all indications are that he is, then he should not have any trouble shutting down a weak Giants lineup. And when Vogelsong is on the mound, the Giants simply don’t score. We’ll look for this game to go under the total.