The New York Yankees will face off with the St. Louis Cardinals for the final game of a three-game series Sunday afternoon. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our MLB odds series, which includes our Yankees-Cardinals prediction and pick we have laid out below.
New York has lost four games in a row, including the first two against St. Louis. Still, with a 70-38 record, the Yankees are in first place in the AL East by 10.5 games. Despite the recent struggles, New York is all but guaranteed a playoff spot when the season ends.
St. Louis is red-hot, winners of six games in a row. With a record of 59-48, St. Louis has overtaken the NL Central, leading Milwaukee by one game. St. Louis has not lost a home game since July 14, and their 34-20 home record is the third-best in the league.
Here are the Yankees-Cardinals MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Yankees-Cardinals Odds
New York Yankees: -1.5 (+116)
St. Louis Cardinals: +1.5 (-140)
Over: 8 (-110)
Under: 8 (-110)
Why The Yankees Could Cover The Spread
Starting Sunday afternoon for New York is the newly acquired Frankie Montas. Montas was the prized pickup at the trade deadline, acquired with reliever Lou Trivino for a package of prospects. Montas has pitched to a 3.18 ERA in 19 starts, striking out 25.8% of the batters he has faced. Montas is a likely second starter in a playoff series.
The New York bullpen has been otherworldly, with a 2.90 ERA that ranks second in the league. Even after losing Chad Green, Miguel Castro, and Michael King for the season, the bullpen is a stable of weapons. Despite some recent hiccups, Clay Holmes is one of the better closers in baseball, with a 2.12 ERA and 17 saves. New relievers Scott Effross and Trivino have been spectacular, with a combined five scoreless innings.
Offensively, the Yankees have struggled of late. Aaron Judge has easily been the MVP of the AL so far, hitting .299 with 43 home runs and 93 RBI. Eight current Yankees have reached double-digit home run totals, and the Yankees lead the league with 185. Also impressive, the Yankees lead the league with 429 walks. In a break from their status quo, the Yankees have stolen 70 bases, third-highest in the league. Despite scoring just six runs over their last three games, this is the deepest lineup in the American League.
Why The Cardinals Could Cover The Spread
St. Louis is one of the hottest teams in baseball, going 8-2 in the last 10 games. Adam Wainwright will be Sunday afternoon's starting pitcher. Wainwright has a 3.11 ERA in 21 starts, and even at 40 years old still possesses one of baseball's best curveballs. The curveball has struck out 41 batters for Wainwright this season, the most of any of his offerings.
St. Louis' bullpen is solid, ranking 10th in the league with a 3.53 ERA. Ryan Helsley, the flame-throwing reliever, has a miniscule 0.61 ERA, striking out 66 in 44.1 innings. Helsley and Jordan Hicks, who has a 3.71 ERA as a reliever, form a dominant setup duo. Closer Giovanny Gallegos, a former Yankee, has a 3.27 ERA and 11 saves on his season.
St. Louis has a superstar lineup, with Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado forming one of the best one-two punches in the league. The two have combined for 47 home runs and 55 doubles. Tommy Edman has been a true threat with his speed, stealing 22 bases in 2022. As a team, St. Louis is hitting .251, the seventh-highest total in the league.
Final Yankees-Cardinals Prediction & Pick
It's hard to see a sweep here, and the Yankees are too good to continue their slump.
Final Yankees-Cardinals Prediction & Pick: Yankees -1.5 (+116), under 8 (-110)
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