Diamondbacks vs Phillies NLCS Game 2 Prediction, Odds & Picks: Nola Goes to Work

The 2023 National League Championship Series continues as Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 17. The Phillies are in control following Monday night's victory, leaving time to tell if the Diamondbacks can turn things around before the series moves to Arizona.

Nick Castellanos postgame interviews are reaching legendary status.

You can catch this and more on Phillies Postgame Live right now on NBC Sports Philadelphia! pic.twitter.com/NSBN4BiaBZ

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) October 17, 2023

The Phillies opened up the NLCS with a huge 5-3 victory over the Diamondbacks last night, taking the 1-0 series lead in the process. Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Nick Castellanos each homered for Philly as Zack Wheeler struck out eight batters over six innings.

Can Arizona even the series before it's too late? Or will Philadelphia put its opponent in a tough spot by taking a commanding 1-0 lead?

For all of your Diamondbacks vs. Phillies Game 2 betting needs, this article has you covered. Let's take a look at the latest MLB odds before I give my predictions and best bets for tonight.

Diamondbacks vs Phillies Tonight — NLCS Game 2

ARI vs. PHI Game Information

• Matchup: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Philadelphia Phillies (PHI leads 1-0)
• Venue & Location: Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia, PA)
• Date: Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023
• Game Time: 8:07 p.m. Eastern Time
• Where to Watch Diamondbacks vs. Phillies Tonight: TBS

Diamondbacks vs Phillies Game 2 Odds

NLCS Game 2 odds as of Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 9:13 a.m. ET, courtesy of BetDSI. Odds from other reputable sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• Arizona Diamondbacks +1.5 (-150)
• Philadelphia Phillies -1.5 (+130)

Over/Under

• Over 8 Runs (+110)
• Under 8 Runs (-130)

Moneyline

• Arizona Diamondbacks +143
• Philadelphia Phillies -158

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Without further adieu, let's get back to some baseball…

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Diamondbacks vs Phillies Probable Pitchers Game 2 (Oct. 17)

• Diamondbacks: Merrill Kelly (1 start — 1-0, 3.29 ERA)
• Phillies: Aaron Nola (2 starts — 2-0, 1.42 ERA)

Diamondbacks vs Phillies Betting Trends

• Arizona is 1-5 straight up in its last six games against Philadelphia.
• Philadelphia is 5-0 straight up in its last five home games.
• The total has hit the Over in four of Arizona's last six games against the NL East.
• The total has hit the Over in eight of Philadelphia's last 11 games against the NL West.
• The total has hit the Over in 12 of the last 17 Arizona-Philadelphia matchups at Citizens Bank Park.

Diamondbacks vs Phillies Game 2 Prediction

The Phillies look to continue their red-hot postseason run with another victory tonight. They've been near-unstoppable throughout the 2023 MLB playoffs, improving their postseason record to 6-1 with last night's victory.

A big reason why the Phillies won Game 1 was due to a strong start. Schwarber and Harper tallied first-inning home runs to put their team up 2-0 and that was all Philadelphia needed as the home team didn't trail for a second.

Strong play at Citizens Bank Park is the norm for Rob Thomson's club. After going 49-32 at home during the regular season, the Phillies are 5-0 with a plus-4.2 average run margin in Philadelphia during the playoffs.

Although the Diamondbacks are a respectable 4-1 in their last five road games, it's worth noting that they're an abysmal 3-7 in their last 10 trips to Citizens Bank Park.

The Diamondbacks must avoid another slow start tonight, but that'll be easier said than done with Aaron Nola on the mound. The Phillies' ace has been great this postseason, going 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA and 12 strikeouts in two starts.

At the same time, Nola has accumulated his fair share of shortcomings against the D-backs in the past. The 30-year-old hurler is 2-2 with a 7.67 ERA in five career starts against Arizona, which includes a 0-1 record in two home appearances.

Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks' Merrill Kelly pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings with five Ks in an 11-2 win over the LA Dodgers last week. He also won his only start at Citizens Bank Park back in 2019, striking out five batters without a run allowed over 7 2/3 innings.

But as good as Kelly has been, I can't doubt Philadelphia's offense at the moment. With 16 home runs in their last seven games, it's clear that the Phillies are capable of giving any pitcher a headache on any given night.

This game is the Phillies' to lose. The Diamondbacks will have a better effort, but it won't be good enough. Philly's batters are clicking and if Nola can produce another strong start, a 2-0 series lead will follow promptly.

Diamondbacks vs Phillies Game 2 Prediction: PHI 4, ARI 3

Best Bet: PHI ML (-158 on BetDSI)

Diamondbacks vs Phillies Game 2 Player Prop

Due to a lack of options on BetDSI, we're switching over to Bovada for the Diamondbacks vs. Phillies Game 2 player prop. In this case, we're going with Aaron Nola to record over 5.5 strikeouts.

Nola has been wheeling and dealing lately, averaging 10.0 strikeouts per nine innings over his last 17 starts. He finished with six or more Ks in 13 of those appearances, which includes an eight-strikeout performance in his latest start.

Furthermore, the Diamondbacks have struck out 57 times in their last six games, finishing four of those contests with a double-digit total. With the Philadelphia crowd giving him a boost, the makings are right for another strong Nola appearance.

Bet: Aaron Nola o5.5 Strikeouts (-130 on Bovada)

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