The Phillies have lost 3 of 4, scoring just 7 runs total. Ranger Suarez (5-4, 4.43) starts on Thursday and unlike last year he has been pretty average this season. In his last two starts he has as many walks as strikeouts, and has given up 7 runs, 5 earned, over 10 innings. He is up against one of the best in baseball at the moment, the Padres’ right-hander Joe Musgrove. At 8-0, with an ERA of 1.59, he has pitched 21 innings in June, giving up just 2 runs and lowering his ERA to 0.86 for the month. He is just off the Covid list.

The hometown Padres (7-3) have yet to lose with Musgrove on the mound, and just swept the Diamondbacks. Led by a very hot Machado, the Padres are a surprise 2nd in offense over the last 2 weeks, are 10-3 as a home favorite, and are 16-7 vs left-handed pitching. The usually hard-hitting Phillies have had a rough week or so, hitting just .200, with an OPS of .608. Don’t look for them to get back on track vs Musgrove or the Padres’ bullpen either. I am wagering on the Padres to win on Thursday.