Phillies-Mets prediction: Picks, odds on Thursday, June 1

The New York Mets (29-27) will look to complete a big home sweep over the Philadelphia Phillies (25-30) on Thursday, June 1. First pitch for the series finale is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. ET from Citi Field in Queens, New York. Taijuan Walker (4-2, 5.57 ERA) will look to get his season on track for Philly, while the Mets turn to ace Max Scherzer (4-2, 3.54).

New York is the -170 moneyline favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, making the Phillies +145 underdogs with the over/under set at 8.5.

Phillies

Day to day: 1B/3B Alec Bohm (hamstring)

Out: RP Jose Alvarado (elbow), OF Cristian Pache (knee), 1B Darick Hall (thumb), 1B Rhys Hoskins (knee), C Rafael Marchan (wrist), SP Noah Song (back)

Mets

Out: RP Edwin Uceta (ankle), OF Tim Locastro (thumb), C Omar Narvaez (calf), SP Elieser Hernandez (shoulder), RP Cam Coonrod (lat), RP Edwin Diaz (knee), RP Bryce Montes de Oca (elbow), SP Jose Quintana (ribs), RP Stephen Ridings (shoulder)

Taijuan Walker vs. Max Scherzer

Walker will make his 12th start of the season, and it's been a rough first year in a Phillies uniform for the righty. Walker is posting the lowest K rate and highest walk rate of his career this season, and he allowed three runs on a whopping 10 hits and a walk last time out against the Atlanta Braves.

Scherzer has been awesome over his last three starts, allowing one or zero runs in three straight outings. In his last appearance, the future Hall of Famer allowed one run on six hits and no walks over seven innings in a road victory over the Colorado Rockies.

Both offenses are outside the top half of MLB in runs per game and Scherzer is on his game, but Walker makes me nervous. It feels like this is a spot where the Mets could put a huge dent into this total with how much Walker has struggled with the Phillies. He's allowing too many baserunners, and New York should be in a good position to help clear this number.

Pick: Over 8.5

I'm not sure how you could go into this matchup with any confidence in Walker to put together a better performance than Scherzer, who's allowed less than two runs in five of his last six starts.

Pick: Mets

  
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