The Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals meet Friday in MLB action from Busch Stadium. Here’s a St. Louis Cardinals vs Chicago Cubs prediction. This will be the first installment in a four-game series. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for the game.
Chicago Cubs Betting Preview
In their last series the Cubs took on the Baltimore Orioles. Chicago managed wins in the first pair 9-2 and 4-0. On Thursday the Cubs rolled in a blowout win 8-0. Justin Steele had a nice start with 7.0 innings, three hits and no walks.
For the starter gig Friday the Cubs are sending out Kyle Hendricks. So far Hendricks is 1-7 with a 7.53 ERA in 16 games (11 starts). Over 263 career games (257 starts) Hendricks is 94-76 with a 3.65 ERA.
St. Louis Cardinals Betting Preview
Over on the Cardinals’ side, they played a doubleheader versus the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday. St. Louis lost both of those games 6-4 and 8-5. In the nightcap, the Cardinals managed 10 team hits in a pretty well-rounded offensive display. Four out of five pitchers (minus John King) gave up at least one earned run, though.
Sonny Gray will make the start for the Cardinals on Friday. This year Gray is 9-5 with a 3.30 ERA in 16 starts. Over his 295 career games (286 starts) Gray is 107-90 with a 3.46 ERA.
Cardinals vs Cubs Pick Injury Notes
Cubs RP Adbert Alzolay (forearm) threw a 30-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday.
Total Runs Facts
- Seven of the last eight games between the Cubs and Cardinals have gone UNDER the total runs line.
- Each of the Cubs’ last five games against National League opponents have gone OVER the total runs line.
- The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Cubs’ last 12 night games against National League opponents.
- The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Cardinals’ last six games against NL Central opponents.
St. Louis Cardinals Player Prop Facts
- Sonny Gray has recorded six or more strikeouts in each of his last 10 appearances against NL Central opponents.
- Alec Burleson has recorded at least one RBI in each of the Cardinals’ last four games against NL Central opponents.
- Tommy Edman has recorded a Double in three of his last four appearances against the Cubs at Busch Stadium.
- Alec Burleson has scored a run in each of the Cardinals’ last four games.
- Willson Contreras has hit a home run in each of the Cardinals’ last two night games against opponents that held a losing record.
- Willson Contreras has recorded at least one hit in each of his last nine appearances in night games against teams that held a losing record.
- Lars Nootbaar has recorded at least one Single in each of his last six appearances against NL opponents.
- Willson Contreras has recorded at least one total base in each of his last nine appearances in night games against teams that held a losing record.
Chicago Cubs Player Prop Facts
- Nico Hoerner has recorded at least one total base in each of the Cubs’ last 12 road games.
- Kyle Hendricks has recorded a win in each of his last five appearances at Busch Stadium against opponents that held a winning record.
- Kyle Hendricks has recorded six or more strikeouts in six of his last eight appearances at Busch Stadium against opponents that held a winning record.
- Seiya Suzuki has recorded at least one RBI in six of the Cubs’ last seven night games.
- Ian Happ has recorded a Double in three of the Cubs’ last four night games against NL Central opponents that held a winning record.
- Ian Happ has scored at least one run in each of his last eight appearances against the Cardinals after playing the previous day.
- Ian Happ has hit at least one home run in three of his last four appearances against the Cardinals after playing the previous day.
- Nico Hoerner has recorded at least one hit in each of the Cubs’ last 12 road games.
- Cody Bellinger has recorded at least one Single in 14 of the Cubs’ last 15 games against NL opponents.
St. Louis Cardinals vs Chicago Cubs Prediction
I would stay with the Cardinals here but the line’s too thick. Probably better to value-play the Cubs. Gray could use a good bounce-back effort. In his last start versus Washington, Gray took a no-decision with five earned on eight hits and a walk in 5.0 innings. He wasn’t great against Cincinnati on June 29 either with three earned in 4.1 innings for a loss. Still, Gray is capable of posting a quality start here if he can get it together.
St. Louis has given up six or more runs in four of their last six games, so pitching has certainly been an issue. The good news is that the Cardinals haven’t had a lot of trouble scoring, with four or more runs in all six of those games.
As for Chicago, they’re riding high after a big win over a good Baltimore team on Thursday and a series sweep overall. Hendricks does need a good start, though–easier said than done. All things considered, this should be a competitive matchup and a fun way to kick off the weekend series.