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The St. Louis Cardinals will finish their series with the Los Angeles Dodgers as the two National League teams face off at Chavez Ravine. It's time for Dodger baseball and to look at our MLB odds series and make a Cardinals-Dodgers prediction and pick.
The Dodgers defeated the Cardinals 6-2 last night in front of a packed house at Chavez Ravine. Now, the Dodgers hope to win the season series in the last game these two will play against one another.
The Dodgers cracked the game open early when Will Smith lifted a shot to left-center field for a home run. It was his 23rd of the year, giving Los Angeles the early 1-0 lead. Then, Trayce Thompson blasted a solo home run to left-center field. It was his 12th in 2022, making it 2-0 Los Angeles. Next, Miguel Vargas clubbed a two-run bomb to left-center field. It was his first career home run, and the Dodgers led 4-0. Later, Cody Bellinger blasted a double while Mookie Betts added an RBI single to put the game out of reach.
Adam Wainwright takes the mound for the Cardinals. Wainwright is 2-1 with a 5.57 ERA over four starts in September. He tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings against the Dodgers, allowing four scattered hits. However, Wainwright has struggled at Dodgers Stadium, producing a record of 1-3 with a 4.30 ERA over six starts and one relief appearance.
Michael Grove takes the hill for the Dodgers. Grove is 0-0 with a 4.66 ERA. Recently, he tossed five innings while allowing five runs (three earned) on nine hits with seven strikeouts and a walk. Grove is 0-0 with a 4.50 ERA in September.
Here are the Cardinals-Dodgers MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Cardinals-Dodgers Odds
St. Louis Cardinals: +1.5 (-162)
Los Angeles Dodgers: -1.5 (+134)
Over: 9.5 (+100)
Under: 9.5 (-122)
Why The Cardinals Could Cover The Spread
The Cards could not do much offensively last night after blasting the Dodgers for 11 runs the night before. Thus, they will look to their main stars Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, as well as legendary hitter Albert Pujols.
Goldschmidt has a .319 batting average with 35 home runs, 112 RBIs, and 103 runs scored in 144 games this season. However, he played little role in the game yesterday. Goldschmidt must do more for this offense. Meanwhile, Nolan Arenado is batting.295 with 30 homers, 100 RBIs, and 71 runs in 2022. Arenado blasted a two-run home run yesterday with the game already out of hand. Likewise, Pujols is hitting .265 with 21 home runs, 58 RBIs, and 35 runs over 102 games. Pujols is a threat because of his power and what he is attempting to do. Currently, he sits at 700 career home runs and would like to add a few more to inch closer to Hank Aaron.
The Cards must get good pitching from Wainwright. This year, he has thrown inconsistently, which has not allowed him to produce the desired results. Now, Wainwright must stay on track and keep the Dodgers hitters from destroying him.
The Cardinals will cover the spread if they can get some offense gelling. Notably, it starts with Goldschmidt, Arenado, and Pujols. The pitching must deliver and keep the boys in blue off the basepaths.
Why The Dodgers Could Cover The Spread
The Dodgers are the top seed in the National League for a reason. They have great pitching and an entire lineup that many opposing pitchers fear. They look to put the finishing touches on a team they might face in the postseason.
The Dodgers currently rank second in batting average, first in on-base percentage, first in runs, fourth in home runs, and first in slugging percentage. Their entire lineup boasts a threat and can quickly curtail a game. Now, they must remain consistent.
The Dodgers have many pieces in the lineup that could threaten a pitching staff, making it difficult to pitch to them. Smith, Betts, Bellinger, Freddie Freeman, Trea Turner, and Max Muncy are the cogs in this lineup. Usually, one or two will have a productive day and help lift Los Angeles to victory. Justin Turner also continues to produce, batting .282 with 13 home runs, 81 RBIs, and 61 runs over 123 games.
Grove is still searching for his first victory. He has not pitched particularly well, but the offense has bailed him out on a few occasions. Grove must show what he can do and alleviate the pressure on the lineup. The Dodgers will cover the spread if their offense executes as they generally do and if Grove pitches well.
Final Cardinals-Dodgers Prediction & Pick
The Dodgers are the best team in the National League. However, Wainwright is miles better than Grove and can dominate a game with some good fortune and execution. Expect the Cardinals to come out strong and shock the Dodgers.
Final Cardinals-Dodgers Prediction & Pick: St. Louis Cardinals: +1.5 (-162)
