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The Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals will open up a three-game set on Friday night. It’s time to continue our MLB odds series and make a Cubs-Cardinals prediction and pick.
The Cubs have been heating up lately as they're now second in the NL Central with a 21-21 record. The Cardinals have been playing well this year and currently lead the NL Central with a record of 25-18. Which club will have the edge in this crucial series between the top two teams in the division?
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening Cubs-Cardinals odds.
MLB Odds: Cubs-Cardinals Odds
Chicago Cubs -1.5 (+137)
St. Louis Cardinals +1.5 (-157)
Over 8.5 Runs (-105)
Under 8.5 Runs (-115)
Why The Cubs Could Cover The Spread
The Chicago Cubs have been playing very well of late, winning five of their last seven games to date. Chicago will look to build on their 5-2 win over the Washington Nationals in their last game. The Cubs lineup has been producing lately as Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, and Javy Baez have really come on of late. Chicago is averaging 4.60 runs per game, which is the ninth-most in the Majors to date. If right-fielder Jason Hayward can wake his bat up anytime soon, this Cubs team may return to form as one of the best lineups in the National League.
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Right-hander Kyle Hendricks will man the mound for the Cubs in the series opener. Hendricks is 3-4 with a 5.27 ERA and has really struggled this season. He is coming off of his best start of the season as he tossed eight innings of one-run ball against the Tigers in his last outing. Hendricks has gone at least seven innings in two of his last three starts and will look to continue his recent success against the Cardinals.
Why The Cardinals Could Cover The Spread
The St. Louis Cardinals are having a very solid season in 2021, thanks in large part to their play at home. The Cardinals are 5-0 in their last five home games and 13-6 in their last 19 games overall. They are coming off of a two-game sweep against the Pittsburgh Pirates in their most recent series. St. Louis scores 4.27 runs per game and are now 14-8 at Busch Stadium this season. The Cardinals have enjoyed added rest this season as they're 4-0 in their last four games following an off-day.
Hard-throwing right-hander Carlos Martinez will get the ball for the Cardinals in the opener. Martinez has struggled this season, going 3-4 with a 4.35 ERA to date. He has won his past three starts, which is certainly a promising sign for the flame-thrower. He has gone at least seven innings in two of the three starts and has allowed a total of six earned runs over the span. Martinez tossed eight innings of one-run baseball against the Cubs when he last saw them in September of 2020.
Final Cubs-Cardinals Prediction & Pick
This series will certainly be exciting as two surging NL Central teams get set to square off through the weekend. The Cardinals have been the slightly better team this season and the pitching matchup gives them a slight edge in this game. With Hendricks' struggles this season, St. Louis will be just a bit better at the plate in the opener.
FINAL PICK: St. Louis Cardinals ML (+106)
