What's better than some inter-league action on this fine Tuesday? As the end of May is quickly coming to an end and June is soon to be among us, the 2022 MLB season is officially in full swing as the Toronto Blue Jays will conclude their short two-game series in the Gateway of the West to take on the St. Louis Cardinals. Join us for our MLB odds series, where our Blue Jays-Cardinals prediction and pick will be revealed.

 

After Monday's dramatic series opener between these two squads that saw the Red Birds walk off the Blue Jays thanks to Paul Goldschmidt's towering home run in the tenth inning, St. Louis will call upon the human flamethrower himself in RHP Jordan Hicks, who has a 1-3 record and a 4.21 ERA in his six starts to this point in 2022.

At 22-20, the third-place Toronto Blue Jays have been slightly disappointing in comparison to their larger-than-life expectations heading into the 2022 season. Regardless, this talented bunch can strike fear into many opponents, as they will plan to do just that by sending righty hurler Kevin Gausman to slow down the Cardinals' offensive onslaught. In Gausman's eight starts, he has compiled a 2.52 ERA and a dead-even 3-3 record.

Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Blue Jays-Cardinals MLB odds.

MLB Odds: Blue Jays-Cardinals Odds

Toronto Blue Jays: -1.5 (+114)

St. Louis Cardinals: +1.5 (-137)

Over: 7.5 (+100)

Under: 7.5 (-122)

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Why The Blue Jays Could Cover the Spread

After exchanging blows with St. Louis for most of the night, it was Toronto that laid face down on the canvas after being delivered with a late round right hook that ended up knocking out the Blue Jays. With a 3-1 lead in the top of the seventh, Toronto surrendered a pair of runs that ultimately tied the game, which sent the contest into extras before St. Louis sent the Blue Jays back to their local hotel.

If Toronto is going to cover the spread on Tuesday, look no further than their dazzling pitching prowess of late. Since May 14th, the Blue Jays have sliced and diced their way to a 1.65 ERA. Despite the marvelous pitching efforts, the Blue Jays have only compiled a 4-4 record since their hot streak on the mound. As a whole, Toronto has pitched to the tune of a 3.57 ERA and has the second most quality starts from starters with 19.

Without a doubt, Blue Jays pitching has been on top of their game, but no one expected them to be struggling as much as they are at the dish. Whether the offense is to blame for the mediocre 22-20 start, the Blue Jays need more production from some of their top stars within that lineup. The Blue Jays have scored the fifth fewest runs in baseball at 150, and are only slashing .230 as a group collectively.

Believe it or not, but OF George Springer has been one of Toronto's more productive hitters, as the former Astros All-Star has slugged eight home runs and has batted in 24 runners, both good enough for the team lead in each hitting category.

Why The Cardinals Could Cover the Spread

Only trailing the Brewers for first place in the NL Central, St. Louis can defeat you in a multitude of ways. Whether its being aggressive on the base-paths, patient inside the batters box, or confusing hitters with a wave of stellar pitching performances, the Cardinals possess a unique challenge for teams that face off with them on the diamond.

In comparison to Toronto, the opposite could not be more said about the effectiveness of the bats at the plate. Offensively, the Cardinals have turned it on over the past couple of weeks and now sit with the second most runs in baseball with 207 of them and have the fourth best on-base percentage with a .326 mark. Additionally, St. Louis is getting splendid play from first-baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who not only hit a game winning grand slam in the tenth yesterday but is raking .338 and has driven in a team-high 33 runs.

While the pitching numbers have been above-average when looking at their stats side-by-side to other MLB staffs, St. Louis has also gotten a good amount of quality starts from starters, similarly to that of the Blue Jays. With Hicks scheduled to take the mound, the 25-year-old will be tasked in continuing to keep the Blue Jays in their respective slump. If Hicks can keep his alarming 5.3 walks per nine innings in check, then that will alleviate the stress that he will be faced with the ball in his hand. Hicks will be making his first ever start against Toronto in his young career.

Final Blue Jays-Cardinals Prediction & Pick

If Tuesday's concluding matchup between these two is anything like yesterday's dramatic finish, then the baseball world should be in for a treat. With Toronto playing .500 ball over the past week and the Cards seemingly heating up at the right time, St. Louis is the pick in this inter-league contest. The Cardinals are 24-8 in their previous 32 games whenever their opponent allows five or more runs in the game prior.

Final Blue Jays-Cardinals Prediction & Pick: Cardinals +1.5 (-137)