Game Highlights for Phillies vs Giants – July 08, 2025

Philadelphia Phillies

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San Francisco Giants

As the San Francisco Giants host the Philadelphia Phillies on July 8, 2025, both teams come into this matchup with contrasting fortunes in the standings. The Giants, with a record of 50-42, are having an above-average season, while the Phillies, at 53-38, are enjoying a great campaign. This game marks the second in the series, with the Giants winning the first game 3-1 on July 7.

On the mound, the Giants are projected to start left-hander Robbie Ray, who has been solid this season with a 9-3 record and an impressive ERA of 2.68. Ray’s recent performance includes a remarkable complete game where he allowed just two earned runs while striking out seven batters. His ability to generate strikeouts—averaging 6.4 per game—will be crucial against a Phillies lineup that ranks 10th in MLB for offense.

In contrast, the Phillies will counter with right-hander Taijuan Walker, who has struggled this season, reflected in his 3-5 record and a higher ERA of 3.64. Walker’s recent outings have not inspired confidence, as he projects to pitch only 4.0 innings today, allowing 2.4 earned runs on average. His 4.37 xFIP indicates he may be due for further struggles.

While the Giants’ offense ranks 24th in MLB, their bullpen is rated 7th, which could provide a critical edge in a close game. The projections suggest the Giants have a high implied team total of 4.62 runs, contrasting with the Phillies’ average of 3.88 runs. Given the Giants’ superior pitching matchup and solid bullpen, they could be poised to capitalize on their favorable odds in this contest.

Philadelphia Phillies Insights

• Taijuan Walker – Over/Under 11.5 Pitching Outs (-175/+135)
  The leading projection system (THE BAT X) expects Taijuan Walker to be on a pitch count in this game, projecting a maximum of 80 pitches.
  Explain: A pitcher who is on a pitch count is likely to be pulled from the game earlier, record fewer outs, and generate fewer strikeouts.
• J.T. Realmuto – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+150/-195)
  J.T. Realmuto has seen a substantial gain in his exit velocity lately; just compare his 93-mph average over the past two weeks to his seasonal 90.4-mph mark.
  Explain: Hitting the ball hard increases the chances of either a home run or the ball landing in fair territory for a hit before a fielder can get to it.
• Philadelphia Phillies – 2H Moneyline
  According to the leading projection system (THE BAT), the Philadelphia Phillies’ bullpen grades out as the 7th-worst among all the teams in the majors.
  Explain: Most bettors only consider the starting pitcher, but a weak bullpen sneakily creates an easier matchup for the opposing offense and boosts a game’s runs.

San Francisco Giants Insights

• Robbie Ray – Over/Under 6.5 Strikeouts (+100/-130)
  With 7 batters who bat from the opposite side in the opposing team’s projected batting order, Robbie Ray meets a tough challenge while lacking the platoon advantage in most plate appearances in today’s game.
  Explain: Right-handed pitchers perform worse against left-handed hitters (and visa-versa). If several hitters hold this advantage against the pitcher, it can have a huge impact on whether he will perform well or struggle on any given day.
• Mike Yastrzemski – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+135/-170)
  Typically, bats like Mike Yastrzemski who hit a lot of flyballs tend to perform worse when facing pitchers who also induce a lot of flyballs such as Taijuan Walker.
  Explain: This mostly has to do with the way the hitter’s swing plane interacts with the pitch trajectory, and it can create diminished performance across all categories and hidden value few are considering.
• Heliot Ramos – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+110/-145)
  Heliot Ramos has a 90th percentile opposite-field rate on his flyballs (35.9%) and sets up very well considering he’ll be hitting them in the direction of the league’s 2nd-shallowest RF fences in today’s matchup.
  Explain: This player’s skill set matches up particularly well with the park he’s in today, which may lead to better-than-usual performance.

Betting Trends

• Robbie Ray – Over/Under 1.5 Walks Allowed (-125/-105)
  Robbie Ray has hit the Walks Allowed Under in 3 of his last 4 games at home (+3.00 Units / 75% ROI)