Eliminated from NL Central contention on Monday, the Cardinals were blasted by the Cubs in a 10-2 beatdown and are now down to their final few outs in the NL wild-card race. They’ll call upon Carlos Martinez (12-11, 3.63 ERA) to help keep their playoff hopes alive but he’s in a dreadful stretch and will have to go head-to-head with Jake Arrieta (14-9, 3.43 ERA) and the red-hot Cubs this evening.
Things looked good for the Cardinals about two weeks ago but a three-game losing streak has pushed them up against the wall and they need some things to go their way if they’re going to sneak into the playoffs – beginning with starting pitching.
Carlos Martinez has given up 13 combined earned runs in his last three starts, however, and he’s been just OK against the Cubs (4.26 ERA in 2017). What about his counterpart tonight?
Arrieta, a man who’s turned his season around in a big way, has a 1.97 ERA in 11 starts since the all-star break and he hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in a contest since June 11.
The Cardinals opened as very small favorites for the contest and the moneyline is steadily creeping in their direction. Given how the Cubs have been playing heading into the postseason, though, and their motivation to end the Cards’ season – plus money on the defending World Series champs feels like a bargain.
Sportsbook Odds & Computer Pick
The St. Louis Cardinals were listed as -107 moneyline favorites earlier in the day at Sportsbook, while oddsmakers set the Sportsbook total line around 8 earlier at Sportsbook.
OddsShark computer score prediction models pick a possible 3.7-2.0 win for the Cubs on Tuesday. View the computer score prediction and who will win the pick on the moneyline for all upcoming MLB matchups here.
Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The St. Louis Cardinals bring a 81-75 record to the battle against the 88-68 Cubs. Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and St. Louis vs Chicago injuries news.
The St. Louis Cardinals vs Chicago Cubs odds would favor the Cardinals if the betting lines were set according to our power ranks. St. Louis is rated No. 5 in the current OddsShark poll, while Chicago is at No. 12.
Statistical Matchup
Offensively, the game matches up the St. Louis Cardinals' No. 12-ranked offense (4.74 runs per game) against a Chicago Cubs defense and pitching staff that sits at No. 9 at 4.35 runs allowed per game. The St. Louis Cardinals have been averaging 8.73 hits per game, just more than the Chicago Cubs have managed so far this season (8.72 hits on average).
Comparing defensive stats, Chicago owns the No. 6-rated road mark, allowing 4.05 runs per game on the highway. St. Louis, on the other hand, rates No. 19 in scoring at home.
Recent Outings Betting Recap
The Cubs enjoyed a 10-2 victory at the expense of the Cardinals on Monday, with Jon Lester throwing 6 innings of 5-hit ball at New Busch Stadium.
Next Betting Matchups
Chicago at St. Louis, Wednesday, September 27