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The Los Angeles Dodgers take on the St. Louis Cardinals. Check out our MLB odds series for our Dodgers Cardinals prediction and pick.
Tony Gonsolin gets the start for the Dodgers, while Adam Wainwright takes the mound for the Cardinals.
Tony Gonsolin is 11-0 with a 1.62 ERA. If you have been following our coverage of Major League Baseball this season, through these game previews, you might know that the one area where Gonsolin lags behind Sandy Alcantara of the Marlins is in the number of innings pitched. Alcantara leads the majors in the average number of innings per start — he is the only one over seven innings — so it's not as though Gonsolin is going to catch him in that statistical category. However, Gonsolin does need to close the gap, and he does need to pitch seven or more innings in a lot more of his starts if he wants to overtake Alcantara in the National League Cy Young race. What is really encouraging, then, is that in his last two starts, Gonsolin has indeed pitched seven or more innings. He went seven and gave up just two runs on four hits against the Cubs on July 7. That will play.
The 11-0 record and 1.62 ERA are both spectacular. Gonsolin is no worse than second in the N.L. Cy Young battle, which is not something anyone would have expected before the season began. He has dramatically exceeded expectations and has been a rock for the Dodgers. In October, he could certainly be the Game 1 guy for the Dodgers, though Clayton Kershaw will also be in the mix if healthy.
Adam Wainwright has a 3.15 ERA. In his last five starts, he has painted two different portraits. In three of those five starts, Wainwright has pitched 16 2/3 innings and given up 12 runs. In the other two starts, he pitched 16 inning and allowed only two runs. He threw seven scoreless innings against the Marlins on June 27, and he pitched a nine-inning complete game against the Phillies on July 8, allowing only two runs. Which version of Wainwright will emerge here? That is an obvious starting point for making a prediction on this game.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Dodgers-Cardinals MLB odds.
MLB Odds: Dodgers-Cardinals Odds
Los Angeles Dodgers: -1.5 (+104)
St. Louis Cardinals: +1.5 (-125)
Over: 8.5 (-102)
Under: 8.5 (-120)
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Why The Dodgers Could Cover the Spread
After losing on Tuesday, and after giving up seven runs, the Dodgers are likely to bounce back. They have their ace, Tony Gonsolin, on the mound. Do you really want to bet against this man, given how automatic it is for him to give up no more than two runs per start and pitch at least six innings? Do you really want to be the person who bets against Gonsolin and loses money? Maybe that will happen — in fact, it is likely to happen at some point — but do you want to bet against him until his winning streak is over? Don't you think you should wait until someone knocks him around? This is called the benefit of the doubt. Gonsolin has more than earned it.
Why The Cardinals Could Cover the Spread
After winning on Tuesday, it's clear that the malaise affecting the whole St. Louis batting order is over. The Cardinals have scored six or more runs in their last two games, after being shut out in back-to-back contests by the Phillies on Friday and Saturday. Teams do go through slumps. The trick is to escape them before too much damage has been done. The Cardinals have done that, and they look like a whole new team. Adam Wainwright is the man St. Louis wants on the hill to battle Tony Gonsolin.
Final Dodgers-Cardinals Prediction & Pick
If you want to be a hero and bet against Gonsolin, fine, but this is really a stay-away situation. The streak will end, but you don't want to bet against it until the spell is broken. If you insist on making a pick, take the Dodgers.
Final Dodgers-Cardinals Prediction & Pick: Dodgers -1.5
