Atlanta Braves (78-48) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (71-53)
August 26, 2022 8:15 pm EDT
The Line: St. Louis Cardinals +125 / Atlanta Braves -167; Over/Under: +7
(Get latest betting odds)
The Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals meet Friday in MLB action from Busch Stadium. Atlanta is coming off a series versus the Pirates this week, taking a three-game sweep. As for St. Louis, they just finished up against the Cubs. The Cardinals split the first four games, then on Thursday St. Louis won by five. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.
Atlanta posted a 2-1 victory over the Pirates on Monday, and that’s as close as the series got. The Braves managed a 6-1 win in the Tuesday game, then finished it off Wednesday with a 14-2 blowout victory. Atlanta managed 14 team hits in the finale.
Starter for the Friday matchup will be Atlanta’s Spencer Strider. Over his 26 games (15 starts) so far Strider is 7-4 with a 2.95 ERA. In 100.2 innings total he has 33 earned on 66 hits and 37 walks with 151 Ks.
Over on the Cardinals’ side, they beat the Cubs 1-0 Monday and 13-3 Tuesday but lost the other pair in the first four games of that set. In the rubber match Thursday, St. Louis got the series win with an 8-3 victory. Dakota Hudson went 7.0 innings with two earned on five hits and two walks in the start.
Jose Quintana will take the mound for the St. Louis start on Friday. In his 20 starts this year Quintana is 3-5 with a 3.50 ERA. In 103.0 innings total he has 40 earned, 100 hits, 31 walks and 89 Ks.
The Braves are 20-7 in their last 27 in game one of a series and 23-9 in their last 32 after an off day. Atlanta is 27-11 in their last 38 road games.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals are 4-0 in their last four Friday games and 4-0 in the last four in game one of a series. St. Louis is 4-1 in the last five versus the NL East.
PICK: I’m going to stay with the Braves. I could probably go either way here, though. It’ll be a good matchup. Strider has just two earned in 11.0 innings on six hits and three walks over his last two starts. As for Quintana, he’s given up six earned on 18 hits and seven walks in his last 13.2 innings. I like Quintana to post a decent outing here, but I like Atlanta a little better for the W.
