Braves vs. Cardinals Picks & Odds: St. Louis Hoping to Continue Home Dominance

Something’s gotta give when two of the top teams in the National League open a three game set in St. Louis as the Cardinals (72-53) play host to the Atlanta Braves (78-48).  St. Louis has been red hot at home since the All-Star break while Atlanta has won nine straight road games. See below for a Braves vs. Cardinals prediction.

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Braves vs. Cardinals Sportsbook Odds

Sportsbook Odds

It’s rare the Cardinals are listed as underdogs at home, but that’s the case in this one, although early money appears to be favoring St. Louis. The Braves have won seven of the last eight head-to-head meetings including three of four earlier this season in which the Cards scored just four runs. The total opened at 7, but has since climbed to 7.5.         

Starting Pitchers

The Braves will send Spencer Strider to the hill for the series opener. He is 6-3 since joining the starting rotation at the end of May and has an E.R.A. under three in 26 appearances this season. This will be his second career start vs. the Cardinals after dominating them back in July, throwing six scoreless innings, giving up just two hits while striking out 12.

Lefty Jose Quintana gets the ball for St. Louis. He is 1-0 in four starts since being acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates, although he was roughed up in his most recent outing, lasting just 2.2 innings. Quintana is 2-2 in his career vs. the Braves with an earned run average of 8.37.   

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Braves Embroiled in N.L. East Division Battle

Atlanta is on some kind of roll these days. They have won three straight, six of seven and 14 of their last 16 games, which has resulted in five consecutive series victories. And let’s not forget about that aforementioned nine-game road win streak they are currently on. This stretch has pulled them to within two games of the Mets for the top spot in the National League East.

Pitching continues to be their biggest strength. They have held opponents to two runs or less in 10 of their last 13 games.

Cards Enjoying Some Home Cooking

A visit to Busch Stadium has resulted in a loss for most opponents in recent weeks. The Cards have won 13 of their last 14 home games and now have a six-game lead over the Brewers in the N.L. Central, their largest of the season.

Paul Goldschmidt continues to show why he is the odds on favorite, at -400, to win his first MVP award. He belted a pair of home runs and drove in five in the Cards 8-3 win over the Cubs on Thursday. Goldschmidt leads the majors in batting average (.339), is tops in the N.L. in RBI (105) and is just two home runs behind Kyle Schwarber as he looks to become the first National League Triple Crown Sportsbook in over 80 years.

Nolan Arenado, also an MVP candidate, is expected to miss the game due to the birth of his first child.

Braves Player Prop: Ronald Acuna 2+ Hits (+280)

Acuna may be 0-for-4 in his career vs. Quintana, but he is hitting the ball well and already has eight multi-hit games in the month of August. The fact he leads off and may see five-plus plate appearances makes this a smart bet.

Cardinals Player Prop: Paul Goldschmidt 3+ Total Bases (+220)

The way the Cards 1st baseman is hitting the ball, this seems like a no-brainer. He has at least three total bases in eight of his last 14 games and is hitting .383 for the month of August. He’s also been a much more productive hitter at home this season than on the road.

Braves vs. Cardinals Pick Insights

Braves: Keys to Victory

Their rookie right-handed pitcher. Strider has been sensational for the Braves, a team with more great starting pitchers than they know what to do with. He’s a strikeout pitcher and if he can tame the Cardinals big bats then the road team may be the play when making your Braves vs. Cardinals pick.

Cardinals: Keys to Victory

Offensive depth. In a lineup that normally boasts two of the best hitters in baseball, it’s easy to forget the likes of Albert Pujols and Corey Dickerson. Pujols, who is chasing 700 career home runs is hitting .432 for the month of August, while Dickerson recently set a Cardinals record with ten consecutive hits. If they keep contributing, St. Louis will keep winning.  

MLB Computer Picks: Braves ML -167

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