Diamondbacks vs Phillies NLCS Game 1 Prediction & Best Bets: Will Gallen Guide Arizona to a Game 1 Upset?

After booting the rival Braves out of the playoffs for the second straight season, the Philadelphia Phillies will now look to eliminate an AL West foe in the NLCS for the second straight year. Last year, it was the San Diego Padres who were dispatched in five games. This year, the Arizona Diamondbacks are the opposition.

Tonight (8:07 pm ET, TBS), the Diamondbacks and Phillies will begin their quest to set up a Fall Classic face-off with either the Houston Astros or Texas Rangers, with Zack Wheeler and Zac Gallen toeing the rubber for their respective teams.

While Philadelphia is looking to become the first team since the Los Angeles Dodgers (2017 and 2018) to win the NL pennant in back-to-back years, Arizona is looking to reach the World Series for the first time since making–and winning in–their only trip in 2001.

The Phillies have a strong postseason record at Citizens Bank Park, but will Gallen help the Diamondbacks upset the odds?

Arizona Diamondbacks vs Philadelphia Phillies Odds

Odds are via Bovada.

Moneyline

• Arizona Diamondbacks +142
• Philadelphia Phillies -172

Over/Under

• Over 7 (-120)
• Under 7 (+100)

Run Line

• Arizona Diamondbacks +1.5 (-145)
• Philadelphia Phillies -1.5 (+125)

Diamondbacks, Phillies Look to Continue Postseason Perfection

Entering the NLCS, the Phillies are 4-0 at home in this year's playoffs and 26-11 all time in playoff games at Citizens Bank Park.

the Phillies are 26-11 in the postseason at Citizens Bank Park

that .703 win pct currently stands as the best record in the postseason for any team in any park (min 20 games), ahead of:

Mets at Shea Stadium: .667, 26-13
Cardinals at Busch Stadium II: .660, 35-18 https://t.co/zRQBKTJz3C

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 13, 2023

That is a pretty formidable record to go up against, but if the Diamondbacks haven't been overawed in their postseason travels thus far, they won't be in this situation, either.

While the Phillies are perfect at home, the Diamondbacks are perfect on the road. After sweeping the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers on the road in the wild-card round, they won the first two games on the road against the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers on the way to a stunning series sweep.

Gallen had some outings over the final month of the season that hurt his NL Cy Young Award hopes, as he allowed four or more runs in four of his final seven regular season starts.

He hasn't been his very best in his two postseason starts, but he has been solid. Solid is sufficient when you get decent support from the bats and bullpen, and solid has helped him pick up the win in both starts.

In the Game 2 clincher in Milwaukee, he allowed two runs, five hits, and three walks and struck out four in a six innings in a 5-2 win. Then, in Game 2 at Dodger Stadium, he allowed two runs, five hits, and two walks and struck out four in a 4-2 win.

Can he negate the incredible home-field advantage that the Phillies have? Given how they have broken down starting pitching to this point, he and the Diamondbacks face a tall order.

In the wild-card round, Miami Marlins starters Jesus Luzardo (4 IP) and Braxton Garrett (3 IP) both exited early.

In the NLDS, things completely fell apart for Braves pitcher Bryce Elder in the third inning, while Spencer Strider's undoing in the decisive Game 4 was allowing three solo home runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth after tossing three scoreless innings.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs Philadelphia Phillies Prediction and Best Bets

Prediction: Phillies to win

Best Bets: Phillies -1.5 (+125 at Bovada) & no runs in the 1st inning (-130 at Bovada)

Why are these two plays my favorite on tonight's board? Each of the Phillies' five postseason wins this year and 13 of their 16 playoff wins across the last two postseasons have come by 2+ runs.

Also, while there have been runs in the first inning in four of Arizona's five playoff games thus far, there has been a run in the first in just one of the Phillies' six playoff games.

Where to Bet on Diamondbacks vs Phillies and the 2023 MLB Playoffs

Many top online sportsbooks offer a wide variety of MLB odds throughout the season.

In addition to being able to make daily MLB picks on games from Opening Day until the final game of the Fall Classic, you can also bet on MLB MVP odds, Cy Young Award odds, and MLB Rookie of the Year odds, as well as World Series odds.

There are many sportsbooks out there that are good for MLB betting, but here are some of the books that we have reviewed and highly recommend:

• BetDSI
• BetOnline
• BetUS
• Bookmaker
• Bovada
• MyBookie
• Sportsbetting.ag

If you don't have an account at a book on this list, check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.

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