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Even When it Goes (Mostly) Right, it Goes Wrong for Slumping Phillies
By Chris Wright
Published:
This is how bad it’s going for your Phillies:
Jesus Luzardo pitched one of his best games of the season (low bar), Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper homered in the same game for the 32nd time … and the Phillies still lost their 7th consecutive game last night. That matches their longest skid since the start of the 2019 season — which makes it the longest under Rob Thomson, who most certainly is not on the hot seat.
Before last night, the Phillies were 23-8 when Schwarber and Harper both left the yard. That’s .742 baseball — which is a tad bit better than the .348 brand of ball these 8-15 Phils are playing.
If you’re looking for tangible positives in the 7-4 loss to the Cubs, all 4 of our bet recommendations hit — but only because we projected another high-scoring flop, another hitless night from Alec Bohm.
More good news? Taijuan Walker isn’t starting tonight vs. the Cubs, but the embattled righty will be in relief after opener Kyle Backhus exits. Backhus has a 5.40 ERA in 6.2 innings this season. He recorded 2 outs in Monday’s loss to the Cubs.
Are we expecting the slide to reach 8 games tonight (7:40 pm, ET, NBCSP+), or will the Phillies get to Matthew Boyd enough to secure a much-needed win and set up a chance to salvage a split Thursday?
Let’s break it down …
Phillies vs Cubs Odds
The graphic above shows the best available odds, which are subject to change
Phillies vs Cubs Best Bets
The Pick: Cubs -1.5 (+126 at FanDuel)
It’s still too early to genuinely panic about October, and abandon legal sports betting for PA casino apps and NJ casino apps, but the Phillies desperately need to stop the bleeding before this road trip completely spirals. It doesn’t help that J.T. Realmuto is on the injured list.
However, if you enjoy casually lighting your hard-earned money on fire like you’re buying rounds at a Center City dive bar, by all means, back the Phillies right now. For the rest of us who prefer to actually build a bankroll, taking the Cubs to cover the run line is the most logical move on the board.
The reasoning here is tragically simple. In their past 10 games, the Phillies are 2-8, featuring a hilarious 0.00% win rate as the underdog. On the flip side, the Cubs are cruising. The Cubs are 8-2 over their last 10 contests, boasting a dominant 85.71% win percentage when playing as the favorite. They’ve also won 4 straight against these Phillies — all in the past 7 games.
If those situational trends aren’t enough, look at the run production. The Phillies are averaging 2.0 runs per game during this 7-game slide.
The Phillies are scoring 3.00 runs per game on the road this season while their pitching staff hands out hits like Wawa hoagie samples, evidenced by a bloated 4.99 overall team ERA. It doesn’t help that Boyd has limited the Phillies to 2.25 ERA in 12.0 innings spread over 2 starts. He has escaped trouble along the way, giving up 13 hits, including 1 HR (shout out to Roman Quinn!), and walking 4.
Meanwhile, the Cubs are comfortably plating 5.00 runs per game at home. The Cubs’ arms are better, and the Phillies haven’t proven they can keep games close against competent rosters. Grab the plus-money value on the Cubs to win by multiple runs.
Phillies Player Props & Projections
Last night we hit on Trea Turner not scoring and Bohm going 0-fer.
Tonight, we’re injecting some positive mojo into the mix and supporting a couple of highly-paid sluggers who are doing work.
Bryce Harper Over 1.5 Total Bases (+143 at DraftKings)
Harper is making the most of his hits. He’s 4-for-18 this season against the Cubs, but 2 of those hits reached the seats. He’s 1-for-3 lifetime against Boyd — but that hit was a double. He doesn’t need multiple hits to exceed this total. Just one sweet swing will do it. Harper is hitting .274 alongside an elite .901 OPS, making him one of the few reasons to actually keep your TV on right now. He has racked up 11 extra-base hits already this season, proving his power stroke hasn’t vanished during this team-wide tailspin. Backing Harper tonight is the smartest situational wager you can make.
Kyle Schwarber Over 0.5 RBIs (+216 at DraftKings)
Watching Kyle Schwarber swing against his former team is about the only form of fun the Phillies are having. He has hit 3 HRs against the Cubs this season — but those also account for his only RBIs. It’s easy to get lost in the zeroes, but we are going to target the guy slugging a ridiculous .554. Schwarber already has a team-leading 15 RBIs to go along with his dominant .917 OPS. Considering Boyd’s aforementioned struggles with keeping runners from crossing home plate, taking Schwarber to knock someone in is a rock-solid angle.
Schwarber Game Logs vs. Cubs in 2026:
| Date | AB | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04/13/2026 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 04/14/2026 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 04/15/2026 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 04/20/2026 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 04/21/2026 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Final Thought of the Day …
Chris Wright is a 30-time APSE award-winning MLB, NBA and college editor with previous stints at the Tampa Bay Times, Miami Herald, The Indianapolis Star and News & Observer. He vacationed at the Vet, believes Chase Utley is a HOFer and moved to Clearwater to watch the Phillies year-round. His magazine portfolio includes working as a writer and editor at Baseball America.