Arizona Diamondbacks (8-7) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (6-9)
April 17, 2023 7:45 pm EDT
The Line: St. Louis Cardinals -165 / Arizona Diamondbacks +152; Over/Under: +8.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Saint Louis Cardinals meet Monday in MLB action from Busch Stadium. Arizona is fresh off a weekend series versus the Marlins. The Diamondbacks lost the first pair in that set, then on Sunday Arizona bagged a shutout win. As for St. Louis, they played the Pirates over the weekend. The Cardinals lost two of the first three in that series, and in the finale St. Louis eked out a walk-off win in extras. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona fell to the Marlins 5-1 in the Friday opener, then lost 3-2 in the Saturday matchup. In Sunday’s finale, the Diamondbacks scored four runs in the sixth inning during a 5-0 shutout win. Starter Zac Gallen posted 6.2 frames with zero walks, two hits and seven Ks.
For the starter job in the Monday game the Diamondbacks are sending out Merrill Kelly. In three starts this year Kelly is 0-2 with a 2.93 ERA and 15 Ks in 15.1 innings. Kelly is 36-37 with a 3.93 ERA across 100 career MLB starts.
St. Louis Cardinals
Over on the Cardinals’ side, they beat the Pirates 3-0 Friday but otherwise lost 5-0 in the opener and 6-3 on Saturday. In game three St. Louis managed to escape with an even series thanks to a 5-4 walk-off victory in 10 innings. Starter Miles Mikolas finished with 5.2 innings, seven hits, two walks and two earned.
It’ll be Jack Flaherty on the mound for the start Monday. In his three starts so far Flaherty is 1-1 with a 1.76 ERA and 13 Ks in 15.1 innings. Flaherty is 35-26 in his career with a 3.36 ERA over 105 games (101 starts).
The Diamondbacks are 48-105 in their last 153 road games and 1-4 in their last five Monday games. Arizona is 1-9 in their last 10 in game one of a series.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals are 0-4 in their last four Monday games and 0-6 in their last six in game one of a series. The under is 6-2 in St. Louis’ last eight Monday games.
ANDREW’S FREE PICK
I’ll probably stay with the Cardinals here. Flaherty has been doing well over his first three starts of the season, giving up just three earned in 15.1 combined innings. He’s coming off a no-decision in Colorado with one earned in 5.1 frames. On Sunday St. Louis played a tight game the whole way and powered out the win thanks to 12 team hits. Four different players had two hits apiece, and Mikolas turned in a much-needed decent start. I like the Cardinals to keep it going and bag a win in the opener here; should be a fun series overall.
