#Rob Thomson

Garrett Stubbs was an unlikely hero. At 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, he doesn't look like a ballplayer, and is constantly reminded of that by spectators who call him a Little Leaguer and a bat boy and a clubhouse attendant. He says he hears this just about every time he's on the field but has gotten used to it by now. He's always been undersized, but he…

On Monday, the Phillies completed a trade with the Giants to acquire Yunior Marte. The addition of Marte to the Phillies bullpen brought yet another fireballer to the team. Marte averages 97.7 MPH on his 4-seamer and peaked at 99 MPH in 2022. He joins a laundry list of hard-throwing relievers on the Phillies. Between the Phillies' 10 top relieving…

MLB odds series for our Phillies Diamondbacks prediction and pick. Ranger Suarez gets the call for the Phillies, while Madison Bumgarner starts for the Diamondbacks. Ranger Suarez missed a few weeks at the start of July. He returned to the Philadelphia rotation on July 16. His ERA at the time was 4.33. He was having an ordinary season, much like…

After signing with the Atlanta Braves as a free agent 13 years ago, Billy Wagner heard from pitching coach Roger McDowell, who mentioned a young, power-armed reliever with whom team officials were enamored. "You're going to think he's your twin," McDowell said. A few weeks later, Wagner met Craig Kimbrel and saw what the Braves saw. Wagner is…

The New Year, Volume 2023 is upon us, and that means a dual occasion to reflect upon our misfires of the year prior and look forward to our derelictions of the year to come. As it turns out, this grim ritual of inventory can also be applied to the clubs that play This, Our Baseball. The Royal We shall now do such a thing. Resolution: At least…

It's late December, and you know what that means. My peers across the media industry are proudly sharing their favorite stories of the past year, an often self-indulgent practice I'm allowed to poke fun at because I've definitely done it myself. But as I looked back at the words and sentences I put together in 2022, it occurred to me I have been…

With the World Series knotted at a game apiece,how will the shift from Houston to Philadelphia impact both sides for Game 3?Here are our Astros-Phillies same-game parlay picks. Thoughthe Philadelphia Phillies gave it their all in Game 2, taking two straight from theAstros in Houston to open the World Series was a pipe dream. Now, things…

This story was excerpted from Todd Zolecki's Phillies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, . And to get it regularly in your inbox. Happy holidays, everybody. Remember a year ago at this time? Almost nobody would have picked the Phillies to win the NL pennant in 2022. They had holes in left field, center field and the bullpen. There were…

Two division foes will meet on the diamond Tuesday for the second game of this series as the Miami Marlins will square off with the Philadelphia Phillies. It is time to check out our MLB odds series, where our Marlins-Phillies prediction and pick will be unveiled for all sports bettors to see. At 27-32, the Marlins are desperate to work their way…

It sounds more like the name of a movie or a book - Waiting for Godot, Waiting for Guffman, Waiting to Begin - but for now, it remains central to this impressive, fascinating and oddly puzzling Blue Jays season. The Jays have found themselves in the standings right about where they were expected to be - among the best teams in baseball. And they've…

PHILADELPHIA - When the contingent of three Phillies officials - Dave Dombrowski, Sam Fuld and Rob Thomson - met Trea Turner and his wife, Kristen, at their home in Florida, it was Dombrowski who did most of the talking. The visit before Thanksgiving lasted three hours. And, when Turner reported back to his agents, there was something that stuck…

The Philadelphia Phillies entered the 2022 regular season with playoff expectations. But World Series aspirations? Even the most ardent Phillies supporter had to be surprised with the Phillies' deep playoff run to within two games of a World Series title. Even without Bryce Harper until at least mid-July following Tommy John surgery, the…

PHILADELPHIA -- Trea Turner has 11 years to get dirty, so Thursday at Citizens Bank Park he put on his crisp, clean, new No. 7 Phillies jersey. "I don't want to mess with my hair," Turner joked. "He called a couple of days ago and I missed him," Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. "I called him back and he missed me. He…

Years ago, before John Middleton became the face of the Phillies' ownership group, Jimmy Rollins equated him with George Steinbrenner. It's a comparison that Middleton never minded. Because the late Yankees owner was notoriously obsessed with winning, a trait that is admirable to a former college wrestler-turned-billionaire baseball owner. And like…

Good afternoon everyone, it's Chris Bengel back in the saddle with you. When it comes to baseball, I'm happier than Tom Fornelli is. That's because I've been able to enjoy watching my Philadelphia Phillies again, since they have actually been playing well of late. It was clear that a change was needed and the front office made the right move by…

The Philadelphia Phillies have wrestled away home-field advantage from the Houston Astros. However, oddsmakers still make Houston a -180 favorite to win the World Series ahead of Game 3 in Philadelphia on Monday night. First pitch is scheduled for 8:07 p.m. ET on Fox. And even though the mission for the road team in a race to four wins is always to…

After taking a 1-0 lead with last night's 6-5 victory in extra innings, the Phillies will try to follow that up with another win to take a commanding 2-0 lead behind the arm of Zack Wheeler. New users at BetMGM Sportsbook can take advantage of their outstanding welcome offer before the first pitch for Game 2 of the World Series tonight! New…

Nick Nelson may be taking the mound to start but all signs point to this being a bullpen game for the Phillies at Truist Park. Our MLB betting picks break down why they may just have the relief corps needed to pull off the+200 moneyline upset. An NL East rivalry will be renewed on Tuesday night as the Philadelphia Phillies battle the Atlanta Braves…

The Philadelphia Phillies have announced a three-year extension for president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports. The deal will take him through 2027 with the Phillies. BUY PHILLIES TICKETS: STUBHUB, VIVID SEATS, TICKETSMARTER, TICKETMASTER Dombrowski has been in this role with Philadelphia since 2020.…

The Philadelphia Phillies made waves last week when they dismissed manager Joe Girardi after a 22-29 start that had Philadelphia on pace to miss the postseason for the 11th straight season. The move to replace Girardi with Rob Thomson has paid immediate dividends as the Phils are 6-0 since the move and are -145 favorites to make it 7-for-7 on…

The 2022 National League Championship Series features a clash of underdogs. Neither the San Diego Padres nor Philadelphia Phillies - your two NLCS combatants - cracked 90 wins during the regular season, and in the Phillies' case they finished in third place in the NL East. En route to making it to the NLCS, the two teams combined to bounce all…

To help with your, we take a look at today's playoff game. Petco Park, San Diego The Phillies won Game 1 of the NLCS the same way they have been winning many games this season with Kyle Schwarber's and Bryce Harper's bat, and the arm of Zack Wheeler. The Phillies turn to Aaron Nola for Game 2 and he has not allowed an earned run in the playoffs.…

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports Padres have steamrolled two 100+ win teams this season Phillies just knocked out defending champion Atlanta Philadelphia won season series 5-4 Both the San Diego Padres and the Philadelphia Phillies have the talent to make it to the World Series, but that doesn't mean their respective appearances in the NLCS series…

The ALCS begins and the NLCS continues on Wednesday, as Game 2 of Phillies/Padres takes place this afternoon and Game 1 of Yankees/Astros rounds out the evening. The Padres suddenly find themselves in a precarious spot after losing Game 1 and everybody knows how the Yankees are up against it given their travel schedule and the condensed schedule. I…

No need to stop and take a shower for this year's 50 things to know about the college basketball season. We don't care how dirty you are. Duke has a new coach, Jay Wright has a new job, and find out why they're giving out boxing lessons in Arizona. North Carolina is the No. 1 team, but there's plenty of parity and uncertainty out there which only…

With the Philadelphia Phillies set to start the MLB Playoffs festivities with their NL Wild Card round series vs. the St. Louis Cardinals, that means it's time to release some predictions. The Phillies, who finished the regular season at 87-75, came a long way from the first half of the year, when they fired ex-manager Joe Girardi after a 22-29…

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Bryce Harper stepped off the team bus after it pulled up outside Citizens Bank Park and posed with fans for selfies - including a little kid who dressed like the Phillies slugger - and waved goodbye to the small party of fans. With that, Harper walked away and into the offseason, one that could include surgery. Harper's need to…

Xander Bogaerts made perhaps the easiest decision of his career on Monday afternoon, when he officially opted out of his team-friendly contract with the Red Sox to become a free agent for the first time. Bogaerts, 30, has been the most productive offensive shortstop in baseball for the last five years. Since 2018, his.880 OPS is clear and away the…

If not for the extended playoffs, the Philadelphia Phillies would have had their season come to an end with the regular season. However, they made it to Game 6 of the World Series before falling to the Houston Astros. Even with all the success, the Phillies will have a different look next year, with almost a quarter of their roster hitting free…

PHILADELPHIA - The worst loss in Philadelphia professional sports history was the 2011 National League Division Series Game 5 when the Phillies lost to the St. Louis Cardinals, 1-0. But that game would have never been played if the Phillies and Cliff Lee didn't blow a 4-0 lead in Game 2. Toronto's Joe Carter hit a walk-off home run off the…

The Philadelphia Phillies are not the same team from a month ago. The personnel didn't change; the players, coaching staff, and front office are identical. But they're somehow a different club anyway. How exactly did that happen? They've morphed from a team that fired its manager in June and finished the regular season 87-75 - losing eight of its…

J.T. Realmuto stood halfway between first and second base in the ninth inning Thursday night and stared out at center field, his mouth agape, hands pressed to the back of his helmet, alone with his thoughts. There was so much to absorb. His one-out drive that was run down and hauled in against the scoreboard by leaping Houston Astros center fielder…

Imagine traveling back to May 2022 and getting a Mets fan, a Braves fan, and a Phillies fan into a room and telling the Phillies fan they would be the last team standing in the NL East. After the Mets and Braves fans stopped laughing, the Phillies fan would probably take a swing for getting their hopes up. Somehow, someway, that's the exact…

The stakes are higher than ever as we approach a pivotal World Series Game 5 tonight in South Philadelphia. After a homerun barrage in Game 3 lifted the Phillies to a 2-1 series lead, Houston immediately fired back with a combined no-hitter to take Game 4, knotting up the series at two games apiece. If you happen to be located in Pennsylvania or…

Game 5 of the 2022 World Series happen in Philadelphia on Thursday night before returning to Houston for Game 6 and a possible Game 7. The Astros evened the series at 2-all in dominant fashion, not only shutting out the Phillies, 5-0, but combining for a complete-game no-hitter behind starter Cristian Javier. It was the first combined no-hitter in…

A shock in the baseball world this season has been the Philadelphia Phillies. After starting 22-29 on the season, Philadelphia fired head coach Joe Girardi, and it was all up from there. In their first game after Girardi's departure, the Phillies dominated the Angels. Now, they're in a 2-2 series battle with the Houston Astros in the World…

Justin Verlander has a rough history in the World Series, but compared to his sterling numbers throughout a Hall-of-Fame career, we're not banking on the smaller sample being predictive. With his strikeout total at 5.5, we're hitting the Over. It's all tied up, folks. The Astros evened things at 2-2 apiece to set up a thrilling finish to the…

The World Series is now a best-of-three affair. A sprint to the end. A race to two. In boxing, title fights go 12 rounds instead of 10. And those final two rounds, we call those "the championship rounds." This World Series is now in the championship rounds. Grit will get you through. Game 5 will play Thursday in Philadelphia. And Game 6 will play…

The Philadelphia Phillies blew out the Houston Astros, 7-0, in Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead in the World Series. The victory flipped the odds for the best-of-7 set, with Philadelphia now sitting as -155 favorites to lift the trophy. Any win in a race to four is obviously monumental, but the Phillies' win on Tuesday night also gives Aaron Nola the…

The Philadelphia Phillies hosted a 7-0 home run barrage of the Houston Astros in Game 3 with shots from five different batters. The Astros look to keep the series within reach on Wednesday and FanDuel grants a $1000 first bet for new users. If you'd like to know more about how this works, I've broken it down with previews, picks and examples…

To get you ready for your, we make our picks for Game 3. We'll start with some prop bets and then pick the game. In 210 prop bets, I have a 90-120 record, and made a profit of $511 per $20 pizza-money wager or $2555 per $100 wager. The results have produced a 70% return on investment (ROI) for the 2022 MLB season and playoffs. Citizens Bank Park,…

The Philadelphia Phillies weren't assembled to small-ball teams to death. Yes, they can put together hit parades with the best of them, but this is a team constructed to hit dingers - and hit dingers they did on Tuesday night. In a game delayed a day by rain, the Phillies, back in the World Series for the first time since, well, only 2009, tuned…

Game 3 of the 2022 World Series was postponed Monday night due to rain in Philadelphia, pushing the third game of the Fall Classic 2022 to Tuesday night. Houston's rotation was not impacted by the change, as Lance McCullers Jr. is still getting the nod for the Astros. Phillies manager Rob Thomson elected to make a change, turning to Ranger…

The 2022 World Series is a classic case of overwhelming favorite against plucky underdog. The Houston Astros, the No. 1 seed in the American League playoffs, go into Friday's Game 1 tipped by most, including bookmakers, to win the franchise's second World Series crown. However, the Philadelphia Phillies have already upset the odds three times en…

To get you ready for your, here are our best prop bet picks and our game picks. In 204 prop bets, I have an 88-116 record, making a profit of $501 per $20 pizza-money wager or $2505 per $100 wager. The results have produced a 70% return on investment (ROI) for the 2022 MLB season and playoffs. Minute Maid Park, Houston I am betting the Phillies on…

The Houston Astros will look to stay undefeated in the postseason as they host the Philadelphia Phillies at Minute Maid Park Friday as -165 MLB betting favorites. With a pair of quick Championship Series, the Phillies have lost a ton of momentum, having last played on Sunday. The Astros seemingly have the edge in nearly every aspect and MLB…

The World Series kicks off tomorrow night between two teams with wildly different expectations heading into the postseason. On one hand, the Astros were the top seed in the American League. Houston reached the World Series in three of the last five seasons and reached the ALCS in all five. Everyone and their mothers could've predicted another'Stros…

The Astros are the best-run franchise in baseball. Since 2017 only the Dodgers have won more games, and no one has been their league champion more often than the Astros. And that is despite a payroll $70-80 million less than the Yankees or Dodgers in 2022. The Yankees all screamed, "We Want Houston." What fools. What hubris. No one can believe that…

Chris Rattue ranks the best sports to watch this weekend and beyond. 5) Rugby League World Cup: Samoa v France, Monday, 6am - Spark This is the pick of the World Cup action, althoughIreland could test the Kiwis (Saturday, 7.30am) if they continue to struggle finding top gear. Samoa and France will go toe-to-toe in Warrington for a quarter-final…