Two teams in the heat of the National League Wild Card race hook up tonight as the Cardinals and Dodgers kick off a three-game series in St. Louis. The Cards appear to be offering good value at home as +107 underdogs for the contest. They’ve been a profitable bet as underdogs lately, going 8-2 in their last 10 as dogs.
Michael Wacha takes the hill for the Cards, but he’s actually been a bit worse at home this season, posting a 4.85 ERA in 10 starts at Busch Stadium, compared to a 4.02 ERA in nine road starts. This Dodgers lineup has had their way with Wacha, combining to hit .306 in 62 at-bats.
Brandon McCarthy will hope to continue the strong start he’s had to his season after returning from injury. In his three starts this season, all coming in this month, he’s 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA. In two of the starts, he didn’t allow a run.
Going OVER with Wacha on the mound has been the norm for St. Louis, as they’ve gone OVER in 11 of his last 13 starts. The Dodgers, meanwhile, have gone OVER in four straight vs teams with winning records. The total for tonight’s game is set at eight runs.
Sportsbook Odds & Computer Pick
Betting fans looking to pick the St. Louis Cardinals in this matchup found them as -105 on the MLB money line at Sportsbook. Betting the over under instead? It was 8 at its open earlier today and hovering near that number at Sportsbook.
Handicapping models based on recent betting stats and prediction formulas pick a 4.3-4.2 win for the Dodgers. View the computer score prediction and who will win the pick on the moneyline for all upcoming MLB matchups here.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs St. Louis Cardinals Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The St. Louis Cardinals sport a record of 51-44 heading into this matchup, while the Los Angeles Dodgers sit at 54-43 on the season Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and St. Louis vs Los Angeles injuries news.
The St. Louis Cardinals vs Los Angeles Dodgers odds would favor the Cardinals if the betting lines were set according to our power ranks. St. Louis is rated No. 3 in the current Odds Shark poll, while Los Angeles is at No. 6.
Statistical Matchup
Scoring stats point to some edges in this matchup. The game features the St. Louis Cardinals No. 2-ranked scoring average of 5.18 runs per game, against a Los Angeles Dodgers offense rated No. 19 and scoring 4.29 runs per game. The Cardinals have averaged 8.99 hits per game to date this season, more than the Dodgers hitters have managed (8.23 per nine innings).
Los Angeles brings the No. 4-rated defense to this matchup, facing the Cardinals's No. 9-ranked defense.
Recent Outings Betting Recap
S Strasburg fanned 10 Los Angeles batters last time out, but Los Angeles were able to or rally for a 6-3 win on Thursday at Nationals Park.
St. Louis looks to continue its winning ways following a victory last time out against the Padres, a 6-5 final on Thursday in support of A Wainwright at Busch Stadium.
Next Betting Matchups
Los Angeles at St. Louis, Saturday, July 23rd