Can Cards Keep Their Dim Playoffs Hopes Alive Again?

Keeping the Cubs’ magic number at one, the Cardinals fanned their own dim playoff hopes with a win over Chicago on Tuesday but still 2.5 games back of the final wild-card spot, the Redbirds probably need to win out to get in – barring utter collapses from the Rockies and Brewers.

SHARK BITES
  • The Cardinals are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games with Michael Wacha as the starting pitcher.
  • The total has gone OVER in 6 of the Cardinals’ last 8 games.
  • The total has gone OVER in 3 of the Cubs’ last 4 games on the road against the Cardinals.

St. Louis will load up Michael Wacha (12-8, 4.00 ERA) tonight with hopes that he can keep pitching like he has been lately, and not like he has been against the Cubs. He owns an 0-2 record and a 7.88 ERA in three starts vs Chicago this season but his 2.92 ERA in September suggests he’ll perform much better this evening.

John Lackey (11-11, 4.67 ERA) will go for the Cubs and while he’s been OK since the all-star break, he’s been on a relatively short leash. He’s gone over the century mark in pitches just once since the end of May and in his last two starts, he’s thrown just 151 combined pitches.

With Jake Arrieta lasting only three innings last night, the Cubs were forced to go deep into their bullpen and they may ask Lackey to pitch longer than manager Joe Maddon is comfortable doing.

Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals Matchup

Team Betting Records & Power Rankings

The St. Louis Cardinals bring an 82-75 record to the battle against the 88-69 Cubs. Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and St. Louis vs Chicago injuries news.

This game matches up the No. 5 (St. Louis Cardinals) and the No. 12 (Chicago Cubs) teams, according to our current MLB Power Rankings.

Statistical Matchup

The game also pits the St. Louis Cardinals' No. 11-rated offense, averaging 4.76 runs per game, against a Chicago Cubs defense that ranks No. 11 at 4.37 in runs allowed per game. The St. Louis Cardinals have averaged 8.74 hits per game so far, more than Chicago Cubs batters have averaged on the year (8.71 hits per game).

Comparing defensive stats, Chicago owns the No. 7-rated road mark, allowing 4.1 runs per game on the highway. St. Louis, on the other hand, rates No. 18 in scoring at home.

Recent Outings Betting Recap

The Cubs were saddled with a loss last time out in Jake Arrieta's start, as they lost 8-7 against St. Louis on Tuesday at New Busch Stadium.

Betting Trends
  • Chi Cubs is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games
  • Chi Cubs is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games
  • The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Chi Cubs' last 10 games
  • Chi Cubs is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
  • St. Louis is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
  • The total has gone OVER in 6 of St. Louis's last 8 games
  • St. Louis is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home
  • The total has gone UNDER in 6 of St. Louis's last 9 games at home

Next Betting Matchups

Chicago at St. Louis, Thursday, September 28

The Cardinals are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games with Michael Wacha as the starting pitcher.home The total has gone OVER in 6 of the Cardinals’ last 8 games.home The total has gone OVER in 3 of the Cubs’ last 4 games on the road against the Cardinals.away
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