The Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals will play the second game of a four-game series Tuesday night. It's time to continue our MLB odds series and make a Cubs-Cardinals prediction and pick.
The Cubs went through a brutal losing streak before the All-Star break that cemented their status as sellers at the trade deadline. The front office has already traded away starting outfielder Joc Pederson, and the trading won't stop there. The Cardinals don't have much of a shot at the playoffs either, but it doesn't look like they'll be selling too much at the deadline. Both teams are essentially playing for pride, but this game should be close nonetheless.
Here's how the bookmakers have set the lines for Tuesday's game.
MLB Odds: Cubs-Cardinals Odds
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Chicago Cubs ML (+100)
St. Louis Cardinals ML (-110)
Over 9 runs (-106)
Under 9 runs (-114)
Why The Cubs Could Cover The Spread
The Cubs have been freezing cold at the plate for much of this season, but Tuesday's matchup is a great chance to turn that around. They will be facing St. Louis starter Johan Oviedo.
Oviedo has had a rough year. He owns a 5.09 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP on the season. Oviedo also has major control issues, once walking six batter in 4 1/3 innings. The Cubs are actually not terrible at drawing walks, so I expect men on base throughout this game for Chicago.
Oviedo has also faced the Cubs once this season and earned some terrible results. The righty gave up four runs over four innings in that outing, somehow surviving with a no-decision. Chicago should be able to replicate its success against Oviedo for another strong offensive outing.
Why The Cardinals Could Cover The Spread
St. Louis has had a lot of the same struggles as Chicago. The offense hasn't been great, but this is a game where the Cardinals could also put together an offensive breakout. The Cubs are sending starting pitcher Trevor Williams to the mound, which has always worked out well for opposing offenses.
Williams holds an ERA of 5.51 and a WHIP of 1.63 on the season. Both numbers have shot up in Williams' last seven starts, as he has notched a 6.11 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP in that span. To make things even better for St. Louis, seven of their projected starters hold a batting average of .250 or higher against Williams. The Cardinals should score early and often in this one.
St. Louis is also a stronger offensive team when playing at home. Their team batting average, OBP, and OPS all rise when playing in Busch Stadium.
Although Oviedo has struggled in the past, there's some reason to believe he can put together a solid outing on Tuesday. The Cubs are terrible against right-handed pitching, seeing their batting average drop from .251 against lefties to .218 against righties. Chicago is also much worse offensively on the road, seeing a similar drop in batting average compared to their home stats.
Final Cubs-Cardinals Prediction & Pick
This is a great spot to place a bet on the Cardinals. They should be heavier favorites than they are, as I expect them to get out to an early lead and maintain that throughout. The Cubs' pitching situation is horrible and their offense has been struggling all year. There's really no reason to bet on Chicago here.
FINAL PICK: St. Louis Cardinals ML (-110)
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