We're back with another MLB betting prediction and pick for today's upcoming slate, now turning our attention towards this next National League matchup. The Los Angeles Dodgers will take on the St. Louis Cardinals for an upcoming three-game series. It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a Dodgers-Cardinals prediction and pick.
Dodgers-Cardinals Projected Starters
TBD vs. Miles Mikolas (RHP)
Miles Mikolas (8-9) with a 5.30 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 89 K, 132.1 IP
Last Start: 8/9 @ Kansas City Royals (W) – 4.0 IP, 5 ER, 3 K
2024 Home Splits: (1-4) with a 6.38 ERA, .288 OBA, 36 K, 55.0 IP
Here are the MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Dodgers-Cardinals Odds
Los Angeles Dodgers: -1.5 (+108)
Moneyline: -142
St. Louis Cardinals: +1.5 (-130)
Moneyline: +120
Over: 9.5 (-105)
Under: 9.5 (-115)
How to Watch Dodgers vs. Cardinals
Time: 8:15 p.m. ET/ 5:15 p.m. PT
TV: MLB Network, Bally Sports, MLB.TV
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Dodgers Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Dodgers are currently leading the National League West by just two games and they have both the Diamondbacks and Padres firmly on their heels in the standings. They've been playing up to their standards as of late, going 8-4 in their last 12 games and holding the divisional lead. However, with the race tightening as the season comes to a close, the Dodgers will have to make the most of series like this and capturing sweeps. They come into this game following back-to-back losses against the Brewers and they'd like to return a winning streak in this series.
It's still unclear who the Dodgers will send to the mound, but their pitching staff as a whole has been very on point this season. Shohei Ohtani is continuing his assault on the record books and it looks as though the Dodgers are poised for another deep Postseason run. They rank top-5 in the league in runs, on-base, and slugging while their pitching staff ranks within the top-6 of ERA, WHIP, and OBA. With a 33-29 record on the road, the Dodgers will look to continue their success against the Cardinals as they lead the season meetings 3-1.
Why The Cardinals Will Cover The Spread/Win
The St. Louis Cardinals have climbed to second-place in the NL Central and they now sit nine games back of the leading Milwaukee Brewers. It'll be an extremely tough road to catch Milwaukee with the way the Brewers have been playing, but the Cardinals stand to make this race interesting if they can come up with a few winning streaks to close the season. They haven't been doing themselves any favors, however, losing five of their last six games heading into this tilt.
The Cardinals will send their trusty ace Miles Mikolas to the mound for this one. It's undeniable that he's been much more shaky pitching at home this season as his ERA is creeping toward the 7.00 mark. He's also been a bit worse against left-handed batters, but his last winning start was an indication that he's finding his groove. They've been outscored by nine runs at the hands of the Dodgers throughout this season, but the games have been close and the Cardinals haven't struggled in scratching runs across, so expect another high-scoring affair out of this one.
Final Dodgers-Cardinals Prediction & Pick
The Dodgers and Cardinals will be meeting for their second series this year and as it stands, the Dodgers hold the 3-1 advantage. We're still unclear on who they'll be sending to the mound, but their pitching staff has performed much better than the Cardinals this season and they're the rightful favorites heading into this one.
We don't love the Cardinals' chances during this series as Miles Mikolas has gone 1-3 with a 5.06 ERA in eight appearances against the Dodgers throughout his career. We can expect them to dip into their bullpen during this game as it's likely they'll be playing from behind at some point.
For our final prediction, we have to side with the better team in the Los Angeles Dodgers. Their bats are hot at the moment and they've just returned SP Walker Buehler back to their rotation, which will only add to what is already one of the best pitching staffs in the league. With the way they've been playing over the last 10 games and the way they've handled the Cardinals this season, we have to like the Dodgers to win this game outright. Their games vs. St. Louis have been close, however, so we'll stick with the money line here rather than taking a chance on the run line.
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Final Dodgers-Cardinals Prediction & Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers ML (-142)