Listed Pitchers: Jack Flaherty (4-3, 3.76 ERA, 1.14 WHIP) vs. Jon Lester (4-4, 3.32, 1.31) The Cubs and Cardinals continue their NL Central rivalry series with a national TV game Saturday night at the Friendly Confines. Which way are we going here for our free MLB pick?
MLB Betting Odds
Saturday’s MLB betting odds opened Chicago at around -110 over St. Louis, while holding off on posting an over/under. That line was holding steady in the early betting action.
Cardinals vs. Cubs Set-Up
Chicago took the opener of this series Friday afternoon 3-1, making money as a -125 favorite on the MLB betting line. The Cubs got all the runs they would need on a two-run homer from Javier Baez in the bottom of the first inning, and Cole Hamels and Pedro Strop made that lead stand from there. Also, Friday’s game played under a total of 7.5 runs. With Friday’s victory, Chicago is 4-1 over its last five games. Even with Friday’s loss, St. Louis is 5-2 over its last seven games. At 35-27 overall the Cubs are tied with Milwaukee for the lead in the NL Central, 3.5 games ahead of the 31-30 Cardinals. Chicago now leads the season series with St. Louis four games to three.
Saturday’s Starting Arms
Lefty Lester is 6/11 on quality starts this season but only one for his last four. Monday he held the Angels to one run and four hits through seven innings of an 8-1 Chicago victory. But over his three previous starts, he got tagged for 19 runs – 16 earned – and 25 hits through 14 total frames. Chicago is 6-5 with Lester this season, but only 1-3 over his last four starts. Lester started four times against St. Louis last season; through the first three games he allowed just four ER and 13 hits through 17 1/3 innings, but in the previous start he got bombed for eight runs in three innings. The Cubs split those four games.
Flaherty, by our strict standards, is only 4/12 on quality starts this season, but he’s three outs away from being three for his last three. Last Saturday he held this Chicago outfit to two runs and four hits through five innings of a 7-4 Cardinals victory. And over his last three starts, he’s allowed just four runs and 11 hits through 17 innings. St. Louis is 6-6 with Flaherty this year, but only 1-2 over his last three outings, thanks mainly to a couple of failed bullpen efforts. Over five career starts against the Cubbies, three last year and two already this year, Flaherty allowed 10 runs and 16 hits through 23 1/3 innings. The Cardinals won three of those five games.
Saturday’s Batting Splits
St. Louis is batting .231/.317/.397 against left-handed pitching this season. Chicago is batting .257/.344/.456 against right-handed pitching this season.
The Bullpens
The Cardinals bullpen owns a 4.04 ERA this season and a 1.19 WHIP, which ranks this unit among the top seven reliever corps in Baseball. The Cubs pen owns a 4.16 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP.
Totals Report
- Unders are 31-27 in Cardinals games this season.
- Overs are 33-28 in Cubs games this season.
- Unders are 4-3 in Cardinals-Cubs games this season.
- Overs are a combined 14-8 in games started by Lester and Flaherty this season.
- Unders are 17-15 in games played at Wrigley Field this season.
- Get more details: Cards at Cubbies MLB Match-up Stats
