The San Francisco Giants will battle the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday at the oldest stadium in baseball, Rickwood Field, in Birmingham, Alabama.. We're here to share our MLB odds series, make a Giants-Cardinals Rickwood Field prediction, and pick while showing you how to watch.

Giants-Cardinals Projected Starters 

Keaton Winn vs. Andre Pallante

Keaton Winn (3-7) with a 6.66 ERA

Last Start: Winn went six innings while allowing three earned runs on five hits, striking out six and walking two in a no-decision against the Los Angeles Angels. It was a nice bounce-back effort after a bad outing.

2024 Road Splits: Winn has struggled away from Oracle Park, going 1-5 with a 9.12 ERA over six starts on the road.

Andre Pallante (2-3) with a 4.61 ERA

Last Start: Pallante was pulled after just 59 pitches as he went 3 1/3 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits, in a loss to the Chicago Cubs in his last outing.

2024 Home Splits: Pallante is 1-1 with a 4.00 ERA over one start and five outings at home and will be the designated “home” pitcher in Birmingham.

Here are the MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Giants-Cardinals Rickwood Field Odds

San Francisco Giants: -1.5 (+146)

Moneyline: -102

St. Louis Cardinals: +1.5 (-176)

Moneyline: -116

Over: 8.5 (-122)

Under: 8.5 (+100)

How to Watch Giants vs. Cardinals 

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

TV: FOX

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Giants Will Cover The Spread/Win

The Giants will have heavy hearts in this one as they mourn the passing of Willie Mays. Originally, he was supposed to attend this game but backed out due to declining mobility over the last few days of his life. But the Giants will look to honor him by winning this one, and the current branch will need to do work at the plate and on the mound.

The offense is 12th in batting average and 110th in on-base percentage. Likewise, they are 13th in runs and 17th in home runs and slugging percentage. Ironically, while Mays was one of the best stolen-base leaders of all time, the 2024 Giants are last in the majors in the category, as they don't have many players who can swipe bags. But they do have some players who can contribute, regardless.

Thairo Estrada has done well this season. Yet, he has struggled in his career against the Cardinals, batting .210 with 13 hits, five RBIs, and nine runs over 19 games. Matt Chapman is still a power threat at the plate. Overall, he is hitting .333 with 13 hits, including one home run, five RBIs, and eight runs over 11 games against the Cards. Michael Conforto will look to clobber the baseball. So far, he is batting .234 with eight home runs, 22 RBIs, and 22 runs this season.

The pitching for the Giants has not been good. Currently, they rank 24th in team ERA. The relievers have not been much better. Ultimately, the bullpen comes in with a team ERA of 23rd in the majors.

The Giants will cover the spread if their hitters can manufacture some runs. Then, they need Winn to avoid a collapse.

Why The Cardinals Will Cover The Spread/Win

The Cardinals look to gain some ground as they start this series against a team they are battling with for the final wildcard spot in the National League. Ultimately, they need some hits.

The Cardinals come into the action ranking just 19th in batting average, 23rd in on-base percentage, 26th in runs, and 20th in home runs. They are also 18th in slugging percentage. Similar to the Giants, they don't swipe many bags, ranking just 18th in stolen bases. The Cards also have a combination of aging players and young upstarts who can make a difference.

Paul Goldschmidt has struggled this season, seeing his numbers decline badly. Yet, he has done well in his career against the Giants, batting .302 with 173 hits, 31 home runs, 111 RBIs, and 98 runs over 161 games. Nolan Arenado has also seen his numbers fall. However, he is hitting .285 with 171 hits, 33 home runs, 112 RBIs, and 94 runs across 151 games against the Giants.

Nolan Gorman started the season slowly. Currently, he is batting .201 with 15 home runs, 33 RBIs, and 30 runs. Masyn Wynnis going to be a dynamic player for years to come. So far this season, he is hitting .295 with four home runs, 26 RBIs, and 25 runs.

The Cards' pitching has been hot and cold. Ultimately, they are 15th in the majors in team ERA. Their relievers have been inconsistent. So far, they are 14th in team ERA.

The Cardinals will cover the spread if their older hitters can produce like they have throughout their careers. Then, they need a good outing from their starter.

Final Giants-Cardinals Rickwood Field Prediction & Pick

The Giants went 6-1 against the Cardinals in 2023. Ultimately, records don't always carry over from year to year. But there will be a heavy aura throughout this game. Originally, Major League Baseball was set to honor Mays with him in attendance. But now that he has passed, they will honor him in a different way. The Giants may not clobber the baseball or steal bases the way Mays did in his day. But they will find a way to honor him in this game and cover the spread with timely hitting and just enough pitching to get the job done.

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Final Giants-Cardinals Rickwood Field Prediction & Pick: San Francisco Giants -1.5 (+146)