Phillies vs. Diamondbacks: Our expert picks in NLCS. Will Citizens Bank Park stump Arizona?
If the Phillies look hard enough, they might see themselves from last season when they look at the plucky Arizona Diamondbacks in this NLCS.
The 2022 Phillies stumbled down the stretch, but turned it around in time to get the final playoff spot, much like the Diamondbacks did this season with their 84-78 record.
Then the Phillies stormed through the postseason, mostly on the road, all the way to Game 6 of the Worlds Series. The Diamondbacks won two straight in Milwaukee in the wildcard round, then swept through the 100-win Los Angeles Dodgers.
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So playing the first two games at raucous Citizens Bank Park might not faze Arizona, just like being road warriors last year didn't faze the Phillies.
Then again, the Phillies' crowd certainly had an affect on both the young Marlins in the wildcard round and the veteran Braves in the NLDS.
"It’s our fans," Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper said. "There’s nothing like it. We come out of the tunnel ready to go. I just laugh and I smile because it’s so much fun."
Martin Frank
Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola will start four of the first six games. They'll be matched up against the Diamondbacks' top two starters in South Jersey native Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, but there's a big dropoff for Arizona after that. And the Phillies will pounce.
The pick: Phillies in 6
Kevin Tresolini
Arizona will hit the baseball better than the Braves, but with Zach Wheeler and Aaron Nola starting the first two games in front of the loud and dedicated denizens at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies rate the edge.
The pick: Phillies in 6
Bert Bainbridge
Perhaps the biggest x-factor in this matchup is the home field advantage the Phillies hold with the 45,000-plus fanatics at Citizens Bank Park. While there's no denying how impressive the Diamondbacks have been this postseason, their luck runs out against a Phillies squad that continues to deliver in the clutch when it's needed the most.
The pick: Phillies in 5
Tom McGurk
Everybody hits! Woo-hoo! Phillies continue to bash the baseball, Bryson Stott gets hot while Brandon Marsh is a surprise slugger in the series and claims NLCS Most Valuable Player honors. Even South Jersey native Zac Gallen won't be safe at Citizens Bank Park.
The pick: Phillies in 5
Tom Moore
This should be an interesting matchup of two hot teams. The Diamondbacks outscored the 100-win Dodgers 19-6 in earning an NLDS sweep, but the Phillies will reach the World Series for the second straight season.
The pick: Phillies in 6
Tom Haines
There's a lot of hype surrounding the high-powered offenses of the Phillies and Diamondbacks, each having clubbed 11 home runs in the playoffs. But the difference in a best-of-7 will come down to endurance, and the Phillies bullpen runs eight men deep.
The pick: Phillies in 6
Greg Giesen
The Snakes will do two things that can fluster a team − play near-perfect defense and run the bases to apply pressure on the opposition. The Diamondbacks pitchers have outpitched two elite staffs in hostile environments this postseason. On paper, the Phillies should win in 5. These National League playoffs have seen nothing go as expected.
The pick: Diamondbacks in 5.
Melissa Hanejko
The Diamondbacks are a fun team, and their mascot isn’t Blooper…thankfully! But the Phillies’ vibes are unmatched right now, and the Diamondbacks may look like a snake out of the desert at Citizens Bank Park. This should be a fun series, with a more likable team and fanbase than the Phillies’ previous opponent.
The pick: Phillies in 4.
Brad Myers
Both teams are the definition of getting hot at the right time. Don't be surprised if the winner of Game 1 rides that momentum all the way to a sweep. So let's make that Game 1 winner the Phillies.
The pick: Phillies in 4.
Theo Mackie
The biggest challenge for the Diamondbacks could be keeping their hot bats going after a four-day lay off. If they can manage that, they'll be in for a long, close series. If not, they could be in trouble. Another deciding factor will be how the Diamondbacks manage Games 3 and 4 (and potentially a Game 7), when they'll have to piece together 18 innings between Brandon Pfaadt, Ryne Nelson and their bullpen.
The pick: Phillies in 6
Nick Piecoro
If the Diamondbacks keep swinging the bats the way they have through the first two rounds of the playoffs, they’re going to win this series, too. But they can’t keep that up, right? It just feels like the depth of the Phillies’ lineup, the strength of their rotation and the power stuff they have coming out of the bullpen will be enough for them to prevail.
The pick: Phillies in 6
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Phillies vs. Diamondbacks in NLCS: Will Phillies' home crowd be factor?
