After taking the first two games of this three-game rivalry series, the Cubs shoot the sweep of the Cardinals Sunday night on the North Side. Chicago sends newcomer Zach Davies to the mound in search of that sweep against a struggling Carlos Martinez for St. Louis. Here’s our handicapping homework for this game with our free baseball betting pick?
MLB Betting Odds
Sunday’s baseball betting lines opened the Cubs at right around -160 for this game with an over/under of nine runs. However, early betting action steamed Chicago 20 cents to -180 and dipped that total to 8.5.
Cardinals-Cubs MLB Betting Preview
Chicago took the opener of this series Friday afternoon 8-5, then won Saturday’s game 7-2. The Cubs won Friday’s game as -145 betting favorites, then won Saturday at -180.
Also, both games in this series have played over their totals.
With Saturday’s victory, Chicago is 5-1 over its last six games. At 37-27 overall, the Cubs are tied for the lead in the NL Central with Milwaukee. Chicago is also playing well ahead of schedule against its season wins over of 78.5.
With Saturday’s loss, St. Louis is just 1-8 over its last nine games. At 32-32 overall, the Cardinals are now five games behind the Cubs and Brewers in the divisional race, and they’re playing behind schedule against their season wins O/U of 86.5.
The Cubs now lead the season series with the Cardinals four games to one.
Saturday’s Pitching Match-Up
Davies is only 2/13 on quality starts this season, but that’s partly due to a short leash. Four times this season, he’s pitched to within three out or less of a QS only to get pulled. Tuesday, he tossed six innings of one-hit, shut-out ball in a 7-1 Chicago win over San Diego. And over his last four starts, he’s held foes to five runs and 15 hits through 20 1/3 innings, although he’s also walked nine guys over that span.
The Cubs are 8-5 with Davies this season, 4-1 over his last five starts.
In one start last year against St. Louis while with San Diego, Davies gave up four runs in two innings and needed 55 pitches to get those six outs. But three weeks ago, he held the Cardinals scoreless on four hits through five frames of a 2-1 Cubbies victory.
By our strict standards, Martinez is 4/11 on quality starts this and 0 for his last three. Tuesday, he gave up five runs and seven hits through four innings of a 10-1 St. Louis loss to Cleveland. And just before that, he got slobber-knockered for ten runs in less than one inning of a 14-3 Cardinals loss to the Dodgers.
St. Louis is 4-7 with Martinez this year, 1-3 over his last four starts.
In his most recent start against the Cubs, three weeks ago, Martinez allowed just two runs and four hits through six innings, although the Cardinals eventually lost that game 12-3.
Splits With the Sticks
St. Louis is batting .226 against right-handed pitching this season, with a .297 team OBP and a .378 team slugging percentage.
Chicago is slashing .230/.311/.407 against right-handed pitching this season.
- Get more details: STL/CHC 6/13/21 Matchup Stats
The Bullpens
The St. Louis bullpen owns a 4.46 ERA this season, along with a 1.44 WHIP and a 1.65 K/BB ratio, which ranks dead last in the Majors. Numbers like those lead us to rank this unit among the bottom half-dozen or so bullpens in Baseball right now.
The Chicago bullpen owns a 2.61 ERA, which ranks No. 2 in the Majors, along with a 1.20 WHIP and a 2.46 K/BB ratio. Numbers like those lead us to rank this unit among the top half-dozen bullpens in Baseball.
MLB Betting Trends
- The Cardinals are 16-17 on the road this season.
- The Cubs are 23-10 at home this season.
- The Cardinals are 24-28 against right-handed starters this season.
- The Cubs are 24-22 against right-handed starters this season.
Totals Report
Overs are 33-27 in Cardinals games this season.
Unders are 34-26 in Cubs games this season.
Unders are 18-13 in games played at Wrigley Field this season.
