MLB matchup analysis

Brewers vs Phillies Prediction, Odds and Model Pick

Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park · 6:40 PM ET

Pass

Leo decision: Pass on Brewers vs Phillies

Lab Rating
5.0/10
Model lean
Phillies 71.5%
Market probability
43.5%
Model edge
+28.0%
Best moneyline
+127
Sportsbooks checked
3
Leo model
71.5%
Market
43.5%

The case for Philadelphia Phillies

Starting pitcher edge: 19 points
Leo gives Zack Wheeler a 19-point edge over Dustin May, driven mainly by K-BB% (22.7% vs 14.8%) and expected innings (5.8 vs 4.8).

The case for Milwaukee Brewers

Their bats are hot: +0.021 wOBA
Milwaukee Brewers is outhitting its own season form over the last 15 days.
Team strength favors Milwaukee Brewers
Before any pitcher or bullpen adjustment, Leo's own team-strength model has Milwaukee Brewers ahead (67.0% to 47.8%). The pick still comes from Philadelphia Phillies once the pitcher and bullpen terms are applied.

Why it is not official

Setup quality below the bar
Lab Rating is 5.0/10, under the 7.2/10 required for an official pick.
Own bullpen carries risk: 8.0/10
The Philadelphia Phillies bullpen comes in tired. A lead after six innings is less safe than usual.
Opponent is swinging it
The other lineup is +0.021 wOBA above its season form over the last 15 days.

Why the setup score is what it is

Conviction: 8.26/10
Leo's win probability for Philadelphia Phillies (71.5%) is well clear of a coin flip -- this is a real, stated lean, not a guess.
Pitching plan: 37.33/40
Zack Wheeler rates 78 on Leo's pitcher score, judged on its own merits (50-80 is the credited range). That is a strong start on its own, and it earns most or all of the available credit here.
Offense: 4.85/50
Philadelphia Phillies's recent form does not clearly outpace Milwaukee Brewers's.

Why the price is what it is

Team strength: 47.8%
Before any pitcher or bullpen adjustment, Leo's team-strength model alone makes Philadelphia Phillies 47.8% to win. Everything below moves the price from this starting point.
Pitcher score gap: 18 points
The pitcher-score gap favors Philadelphia Phillies by 18 points. This is the biggest single mover of the price -- a large gap moves it a lot, a small gap barely moves it.
Bullpen adjustment: -0.018
The bullpen-fatigue gap between the two pens nudges the price toward Milwaukee Brewers. This moves the price less than the starting pitchers do, since a starter covers more of the game than the bullpen.
Net effect: 47.8% -> 71.5%
Team strength alone had Philadelphia Phillies at 47.8%. After the pitcher and bullpen terms, the price is 71.5% -- the same number shown as Model Lean above.
The verdict Leo passes. The combined Lab Rating did not clear the official threshold.
Read the full model output

The combined Lab Rating did not clear the official threshold.

Final result

Brewers 4, Phillies 6

How the analysis held up

Philadelphia Phillies won, the side Leo's model favored.

Zack Wheeler (Philadelphia Phillies), the starter Leo's pitcher score favored, actually outpitched Dustin May: 5.2 IP, 3 ER (4.76 ERA) against 2.0 IP, 2 ER (9.00 ERA). The edge held up.

The Milwaukee Brewers bullpen was flagged as elevated risk pregame (Tired). In relief it actually allowed 3 earned runs over 6.0 innings (4.50 ERA) — the risk read showed up. Note: 1 of the runs charged to the Milwaukee Brewers pitching staff overall was unearned — not something the bullpen's stuff should be blamed for.

The Philadelphia Phillies bullpen was flagged as elevated risk pregame (Tired). In relief it actually allowed 1 earned run over 3.1 innings (2.70 ERA) — the risk read did not show up on the scoreboard tonight.

Game information

MatchupMilwaukee Brewers at Philadelphia Phillies
DateTuesday, September 22, 2026
First pitch6:40 PM ET
VenueCitizens Bank Park
Starting pitchersDustin May vs Zack Wheeler
WeatherGame-time forecast: 61°F, 18% precipitation chance, 5 mph wind from N.

Starting pitcher matchup

Full Pitcher Matchup Tool →
Dustin MayBrewers · RHP
vs
Zack WheelerPhillies · RHP
MetricBrewersPhillies
Pitching planTraditional starterTraditional starter
Expected innings4⅔5⅔
ThrowsRR
Leo pitcher score (higher is better)5978
ERA (lower is better)4.673.06
WHIP (lower is better)1.321.06
K/9 (higher is better)8.810.8
K-BB% (higher is better)14.8%22.7%
K% (higher is better)22.9%30.2%
BB% (lower is better)8.1%7.6%
BB/9 (lower is better)3.12.7
HR/9 (lower is better)0.81.2
Ground-ball rate46.8%50.2%
Fly-ball rate53.2%49.8%

Pitcher edge: Leo gives Zack Wheeler a 19-point edge over Dustin May, driven mainly by K-BB% (22.7% vs 14.8%) and expected innings (5.8 vs 4.8).

How to read this: the scorecards above name the starters; every number lives in this table.

Strikeout Projections Full strikeout projections →

Dustin May strikeouts
4.3 Leo projected Ks
Official pick: OVER 3.5K · +0.9K difference
Market 3.5K · O +110 / U -132 · 6 books
Zack Wheeler strikeouts
7.1 Leo projected Ks
No K play · +0.6K difference is below Leo's 0.7K threshold
Market 6.5K · O -102 / U -110 · 6 books

Same data source as the Pitcher Matchup Tool, where every starter on the slate is compared side by side.

Brewers are 8-2 in their last 10 and averaging 6.3 runs per game over the last 15 days; Phillies are 4-6 in their last 10 and averaging 4.3 runs per game over the last 15 days. On the season Brewers carry the better run differential per game (+1.27 against +0.20).

MetricBrewersPhillies
Last 108-24-6
Last 10 by venue (away team on the road, home team at home)6-4 on the road6-4 at home
OPS, last 15 days0.8000.677
wOBA, last 15 days (hot/cold read)0.3500.303
Runs per game, last 15 days6.34.3
K% last 15 days (lower is better)25.8%19.7%

Last 15 days only. Hot and cold streaks for all 30 teams live on the Stats page.

30-day offense

Full offense tool →
Last 30 daysBrewersPhillies
OPS0.783 (+0.041 vs szn)0.672 (-0.037 vs szn)
Runs per game5.85 (+0.718 vs szn)4.07 (-0.404 vs szn)
wOBA (model offense input)0.344 (+0.016 vs szn)0.300 (-0.013 vs szn)
K% (lower is better)23.1% (+1.2% vs szn)19.5% (-2.3% vs szn)

Over the last 30 days the Brewers have been the better offense, 0.344 wOBA to 0.300. They are running hot against their own season line (+0.016 wOBA).

Season profile

Full Stats page →
MetricBrewersPhillies
Record98-5886-70
Run differential / game (team quality)+1.27+0.20
Runs scored / game (offense, season)5.134.48
Runs allowed / game (defense, season, lower better)3.864.28
Season OPS0.7440.709
K% season (lower is better)21.9%21.8%
OPS vs opposing hand (season)0.7610.708

Season-long team quality, not recent form. Run differential and run environment come from the season standings; splits for all 30 teams live on the Stats page, including the run environment table.

Every team on today's slate, on any two axes you pick. Brewers and Phillies are highlighted.

Brewers
Combined risk
7.4 Tired
Fatigue
7.8 Tired
Efficiency
5.9 Effective
Phillies
Combined risk
8.0 Tired
Fatigue
6.9 Tired
Efficiency
2.9 Struggling

Risk is what the model actually uses: fatigue blended with how well the pen has pitched. High fatigue with high efficiency is a tired pen that is still getting outs.

MetricBrewersPhillies
Fatigue7.8/10, Tired6.9/10, Tired
Efficiency5.9/10, Effective2.9/10, Struggling
Combined risk7.4/10, Tired8.0/10, Tired
Relief innings, last 7 days31.719.0
Back-to-back arms86
7-day ERA2.846.16
7-day WHIP1.231.95

Fatigue measures workload. Efficiency measures recent run prevention. Combined risk is what the moneyline and totals systems use.

Run total projection

Full Totals Projections →
Leo projection
7.3
Market total
7.5
Projected away runs
5.8
Projected home runs
1.9
Over price
-102
Under price
-113
Milwaukee Brewers team total
5.8 projected
Line 3.5 · O +112 / U -132
Over research lean (+2.3)
Philadelphia Phillies team total
1.9 projected
Line 3.5 · O -118 / U +100
Under research lean (-1.6)

The model and market are close. Team totals remain research-only until their graded sample is established.

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