Are The Phillies For Real? World Series Betting Odds, Trade Rumors As Philadelphia Makes Postseason Push

After starting the season 1-4, the Philadelphia Phillies (58-45) quieted many detractors by winning 13 of their next 16 games and have remained in the National League East hunt ever since.

Indeed, Gabe Kapler's squad have been one of the biggest overachievers of the 2018 season after opening the season with the 18th-best odds (80/1) to win the World Series. According to betting site Vegas Insider, the Phillies now have the seventh-best odds to win the World Series at 16/1.

It's been an impressive and unexpected season for a team that somehow wins despite being 10th in earned-run average (3.85), 16th in runs (462) and 28th in errors (76).

“The themes right now are we’re in a position to win the National League East and make a run at that,” Kapler said in early July, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia. “If we take care of our business and do various things, we are going to be excited about our prospects come September. Those conversations are ongoing. They're always being had. They’re being had in various forms, but we’re asking people to take part in incubating those discussions.

“In spring training, we talked as a group, the players and our leadership group, and we said we expect to be a postseason club. I believed that then. I believe it now. We do indeed have the athletes, the horses, the leaders, the connectors, the teammates, to be a playoff team.”

The big boost has come from Aaron Nola, a 25-year-old Cy Young candidate with a 2.42 ERA over 134 innings. The Phillies have also received a solid season from starters Zach Eflin (3.41 ERA) and free-agent signing Jake Arrieta (3.45 ERA).

The bats have been led by young outfielders Rhys Hoskins and Odubel Herrera, who have combined for 39 home runs and 126 RBI.

But can Philadelphia continue their winning ways and hold off the Atlanta Braves? The Phillies have a 2.5-game lead but have a 5-7 record against the Braves with seven more meetings to go.

The Phillies' schedule includes two home and two road games against the league-leading Boston Red Sox and a four-game homestand against the NL Central-favorite Chicago Cubs. The Braves, meanwhile, seem to have the more favorable schedule with three home games against the Red Sox and two games at homes against the sliding Tampa Bay Rays.

Recent acquisition Asdrubal Cabrera should help and the Phillies are reportedly still looking for more bats before the Trade Deadline on July 31. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports that the Phillies are in contention to acquire slugger Joey Gallo. The 24-year-old outfielder has 25 home runs but strikes out in 41 percent of his at-bats. Should the Phillies add Gallo, he will likely play in right field, moving Nick Williams to the bench.

If the Phillies don't land Gallo, they might consider a bigger deal for Baltimore Orioles veteran Adam Jones. The 32-year-old has 11 home runs and is batting .281. Jones may be due for a big second half since he has hit 25 or more home runs in each of the last seven seasons.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported that the Phillies are also interested in bringing back shortstop Freddy Galvis, who joined the San Diego Padres in the offseason after six seasons in Philadelphia. Galvis is batting .239 with 5 home runs in 2018.

Some new bats could do wonders for the Phillies, but it's no guarantee they can maintain their lead on the Braves. Meanwhile, the Washington Nationals may still have a run in them.

No matter what the outcome, the Phillies can at least take solace in knowing they have put together a season few had expected. The last time the Phillies reached the postseason was 2011 and they have lost 91 or more games in each of the last three seasons.