A few rivalries in MLB are a must-watch regardless of how each team is performing, and the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals are one of them. The National League Central rivals have a crucial series this weekend, as the Cubs are two games behind the Brewers for first in the Central. St. Louis started slow this season, but they've crawled back into the race and sit three games back of the Cubs. A sweep for the Cardinals at Busch Stadium could tie them with Chicago for second in the division.  It is time to continue our MLB odds series with a Cubs-Cardinals prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.

Jameson Taillon brings his 2.20 ERA into Busch Stadium for this matchup. The Cubs won four straight Taillon starts to start the season after he found himself on the injured list for the first three weeks. Taillon allowed three earned runs over his first 24 innings. However, he has lost his last two starts, due to poor offensive outings from the Cubs rather than poor pitching performances from Taillon. Taillon allowed five earned runs over 8 2/3 innings but also gave up three home runs after allowing just two in his first four starts. 

The Cardinals haven't announced a starter yet, but Sonny Gray is in line to take the mound. Gray pitched into the sixth inning in his last start but motioned to Oli Marmol to be removed from the game. He said after the game that he wasn't injured but tired after getting deep into the inning. Gray owns a 2.87 ERA and 11.30 K/9 in eight starts this season.

Here are the MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Cubs-Cardinals Odds

Chicago Cubs: -1.5 (+162)

Moneyline: -104

St. Louis Cardinals: +1.5 (-196)

Moneyline: -112

Over: 8 (-112)

Under: 8 (-108)

How to Watch Cubs vs. Cardinals

Time: 7:15 PM ET/4:15 PM PT

TV: FOX

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Cubs Will Cover The Spread/Win

Jameson Taillon will need one of his best performances of the season to win this game. The Cardinals have been rising the NL Central standings, winning eight of their last ten games including a sweep of the Orioles, one of the best teams in the American League. The Cubs are going in the opposite direction, losing seven of their last ten and soon relinquishing the lead they've built up over the Cardinals.

The Cubs need a win in this series to stop the bleeding, and they'll need to lean on their starting pitching.

Why The Cardinals Will Cover The Spread/Win

Gray could be set up for success in this game if he is healthy. The Cubs have been a poor offensive team over their last five, batting just .167 and averaging 2.3 runs/nine. The Cubs have been teetering on the edge of losing their place in the National League Central standings for weeks now, and if they can't figure out their offense, the Cardinals could sweep the Cubs in this series.

The Cardinals are on the opposite end of the spectrum with their offense. The Cardinals have a .357 on-base percentage over their last ten, averaging six runs/nine.

Final Cubs-Cardinals Prediction & Pick

It's hard to slow down a team when they get rolling, which could be the case for the Cardinals. The Cardinals are firing on all cylinders and have their best pitcher taking the mound. The Cubs' offense has been stagnant over the last ten games, and not even Jameson Taillon can save them in this game if Sonny Gray is in full health.

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Final Cubs-Cardinals Prediction & Pick: Cardinals ML (-112)