Phillies at Mets preview: Sánchez vs. Senga in NL East clash as Philadelphia eyes more breathing room
It’s Monday, August 25, 2025, and the Phillies (76-54) travel to Queens to face the Mets (69-61) in a game that carries extra weight in the National League East race. Philadelphia will hand the ball to Cristopher Sánchez against Kodai Senga for New York. With Philadelphia owning a seven-game lead in the division, the Mets will be motivated to sweep this two-city series if they want to keep any realistic hopes of a comeback alive.
Game details
– Date and time: Monday, August 25, 2025, 7:10 PM EST
– Site: Citi Field, Queens, NY
– TV/streaming: NBC Sports Philadelphia, SNY
Key context
– The Phillies have been solid lately, taking two of three from the Nationals at home over the weekend.
– The Mets rebounded with two of three against the Braves in Atlanta, a reminder that they won’t go quietly despite the gap in the standings.
Starting pitchers
– Philadelphia: Cristopher Sánchez (11-4, 2.47 ERA)
– Last outing: August 19 vs. Seattle, 2.84 ERA, 2 earned runs, 6 hits, 2 walks, 12 strikeouts
– New York: Kodai Senga (7-5, 2.58 ERA)
– Last outing: August 20 at Washington, 7.20 ERA, 4 earned runs, 6 hits, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts
Odds and trends
– Moneyline: Phillies -120, Mets +100
– Spread: Phillies -1.5
– Total: 8.0 runs
– Notable trends:
– The Under is 7-3 (70%) when Senga starts at home this season.
– Betting the Mets on the run line with Senga on the mound would have yielded a solid profit in 2025.
– The Phillies are 4-1 over their last five games.
– Mark Vientos has hit in seven straight games (10-for-28), while Brett Baty has cooled, going 0-for-8 over his last two after a strong run.
Expert picks and betting note
– The model weighs past performance, matchups, park effects and forecasts to project a relative confidence level for each wager.
– Bets highlighted for this game:
– Moneyline: No strong edge identified
– Spread: Lean toward the Mets +1.5
– Total: Favor the over 8.0
What to watch
– The Mets need this series to threaten the Phillies’ lead, making every game a potential turning point in the division race.
– Sánchez has been a steady force for Philadelphia, giving the Phillies a chance to win with strong starting pitching.
– Senga has shown excellent season numbers but looked a bit off in his last road start, making this a critical test against a high-quality lineup.
Summary
A marquee NL East matchup unfolds as the Phillies seek to extend their division cushion while the Mets attempt to spark a late-season push with a strong response on the road. The duel between Sánchez and Senga should be one of the night’s defining pitching matchups, with the Mets looking to capitalize on every opportunity to chip away at Philadelphia’s lead.
Positive note
This game offers an opportunity for the Mets to prove they can close the gap in a pivotal moment of the season, while the Phillies have the chance to reaffirm their control of the division with a strong road performance.