New York Mets vs Philadelphia Phillies Prediction & Picks - MLB

Prediction published on 9/17/26, 3:58 PM  by Edgar Jibran in MLB Picks

This Thursday night brings the first game of the MLB series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets, with odds suggesting the Mets are slight favorites to win. However, the Phillies are expected to show strong commitment to winning the series, as they still haven’t secured their Wild Card spot in the National League.

With that in mind, Aaron Nola’s start makes sense, as he’s the fourth-best pitcher on the roster in strikeouts through the regular season. Furthermore, it’s remarkable that Nola allowed fewer than three earned runs in his last nine starts, so he has a strong chance to dominate the Mets’ hitters in the first innings.

Meanwhile, the New York Mets are already eliminated, but having Nolan McLean on the mound usually pushes their limits, as he’s also very effective at striking out batters. Despite that, it cannot be forgotten that McLean had a very bad performance in his last start, allowing 5 earned runs against a powerful team like the Yankees. In this regard, he's also expected to face a difficult challenge against the Phillies’ power.