February 22, 2023
The Phillies will have their first Spring Training games this Saturday and it won't be long before fans are packing Citizens Bank Park to watch this team chase another National League pennant.
With the hype of baseball season heating up, it's apt to take stock of how those outside of Philadelphia feel about the Fightins. Here's a peek at the postseason, awards and a whole host of other odds from betting markets for the 2023 Phillies.
All odds taken from DraftKings Sportsbook.
Win total (88.5): Over -115; Under -105
The Phils won 87 games last year on their way to a Wild Card berth and a spot in the World Series. They haven't won 88 or more games in a season since 2011.
To make the playoffs: Yes -215; No +180
The fact that it's specifically -215 for a Philadelphia team means you have to hammer that, right?
To win the National League East: +370
The Phillies are third in odds here because they play in the best division in the sport. They trail the Mets (+130) and the Braves (+140). It'll be tough to win the East outright. As last season taught, however, just making it to the dance can be enough.
To win the National League: +850
These odds are tied for fifth with the Cardinals. They trail the Mets, Dodgers, Braves and Padres. I like this bet! I'm more bearish on the Phils to win the division because of Bryce Harper's injury absence, but if he comes back rolling through August and September, they can be a total force at the plate, riding a late hot streak to the postseason yet again and maybe, just maybe, to the World Series.
To win the World Series: +1700
The Phils are eighth here behind the Astros, Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Braves, Padres and Blue Jays. Stiff competition for sure. I like the NL pennant bet more than this if you're deciding between the two.
Trea Turner to win MVP: +1300
Kyle Schwarber to win MVP: +2500
Bryce Harper to win MVP: +4000
J.T. Realmuto to win MVP: +10000
Turner is tied for sixth in NL MVP odds. That's pretty fair. The bet I would make is Realmuto though. He finished seventh in MVP voting last year and only raised his national profile with a couple of big playoff home runs. With Harper sidelined for a few months, there will be ample chance for both Turner and Realmuto to shine. If the Phils pull off an NL East title for the first time in 12 years, there's likely going to be a good case for both of those dudes.
$10 to win $1000 for the BCIB? Sign me up.
Aaron Nola to win Cy Young Award: +1200
Zack Wheeler to win Cy Young Award: +1200
Same odds for the one-two punch atop the Phils' rotation! They're tied for seventh in odds in the NL. Wheeler had a top-two Cy Young finish in 2021 while leading the league in strikeouts. Nola finished third in Cy Young voting back in 2018, sporting a 2.38 ERA along the way.
Wheeler struggled with some injuries in 2022 and is three years older than Nola. If the Phils had to throw a guy on the mound for a playoff Game 7, I'm taking Wheeler, but for a season-long award like this, give me Nola if you're dying to have some Phillies action.
Andrew Painter to win Rookie of the Year Award: +1700
A Phillie has not won this award since Ryan Howard in 2005.
Painter is 12th in odds for the NL.
I have the feeling that Painter won't start the season in the majors. Hey, perhaps he's lights out in Spring Training and cracks the rotation, but I'm not quite sure the organization is ready to do that. I don't like Painter for this award this year, but I'm certainly bullish on his long-term career prospects.
Major League Baseball currently has Painter ranked as the sixth-best prospect in the sport for 2023 and the No. 1 pitching prospect overall. The only other Phillie on the list is fellow right-handed pitcher Mick Abel at No. 48.
Kyle Schwarber to win home run title: +1100
Schwarber led the NL in homers last year with 46, but still massively trailed Aaron Judge's 62-homer season. New Yankee Stadium is basically designed for a player like Judge to have outrageous totals like this, so it's hard to go with anyone other than him.
Aaron Nola to lead MLB in strikeouts: +1400
Zach Wheeler to lead MLB in strikeouts: +5500
Nola was fourth in Ks in 2022, 22 strikeouts behind Gerrit Cole's top mark. He's seventh in odds. I might like this bet better for Nola than him winning the Cy Young Award.
Kyle Schwarber to lead MLB in RBI: +2500
Trea Turner to lead MLB in RBI: +7500
Turner is an All-Star, but he'll likely be hitting leadoff, minimizing his RBI potential. If Schwarber is moved from the top of the order to the clean-up spot with a talented cast in front of him, he's got a shot.
Trea Turner to lead MLB in hits: +800
No Phillie has led baseball in hits since Lenny Dykstra tied for the league lead in 1990 (Dykstra also led the NL in hits in 1993).
Turner's the favorite to lead in hits ahead of Tim Anderson at +1200. He led the majors in hits in both 2020 and 2021 and came in second to former teammate Freddie Freeman in 2022. At the top of the Phillies' order, that's a fun, juicy bet for Phils fans to make.
36 days until Opening Day, Philadelphia.
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