While we are still in the very early part of the MLB season, where there is an expectation that division races might still be close, there are a couple of teams that seem to be separating from the pack in the National League. The LA Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs are building up nice little leads in their respective divisions. Behind them, there is a large pack of teams all hovering around the same season record. What this suggests is that there is some real parity here and that we might be in for a fun playoff race this season.
Two teams who are part of that chasing pack – the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves – will face off on Thursday night in the final game of a 3-game series, with this particular meeting serving as the tiebreaker after they split the opening two games. Both teams are very much in their respective division races, so this is a big game for both teams as they prepare to head into the weekend. The Braves are favored by 1 ½ here, with the run total set at 10 on Thursday night.
Cardinals vs Braves MLB Odds, Preview & Expert Prediction
- When: Thursday, May 16 at 7:20 PM EST
- Where: SunTrust Park, Atlanta
- Starting Pitchers: Wainwright vs. Teheran
- TV: MLB Extra Innings
- Radio: 680 The Fan
- Live Stream: MLB.tv
- MLB Odds: Atlanta Braves -120 (Total 10)
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Why bet on the St. Louis Cardinals?
The Cardinals are going through a run of form that has seen them fall out of the top spot in the NL Central and all the way down to 3rd. Over the course of the last 10 games, they have picked up just 3 wins, 1 of which came in the opening game of this series versus the Braves.
This series has actually been a perfect example of how inconsistent the Cardinals have been of late. They were dominant in the opener, blasting Atlanta 14-3, after which they were shut out in a 4-0 loss last night. This has very much been the order of business for St. Louis of late, playing brilliant ball one night and stinking the joint out the next. They are now just 9-11 SU on the road, although they are a solid 10-5 ATS as a road dog. It will be Adam Wainwright (3-3, 4.15 ERA) who gets the ball for this one.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 5.12
- Hits: 8.81
- Walks: 3.86
- Strike Outs: 8.23
Defense
- Runs: 4.72
- Hits: 8.70
- Walks: 3.70
- Strike Outs: 8.33
Why bet on the Atlanta Braves?
The Braves are in a similar position to the Cardinals in that they are having a tough time finding any level of consistency. Every time it looks as though they are about to go on a positive run, they are pulled back to earth in a hurry. They closed out the weekend by taking 3-straight from the Diamondbacks on the road before getting totally blasted in their first game back in their own building.
Atlanta is now just 11-11 at home, which has helped them to an overall record that has then just a single game above .500. Not particularly great for a team that was very much favored to challenge for the division. That said, they are still only 2 ½ games out of the lead in the East. Julio Teheran (2-4, 4.26 ERA) will start this one for the Braves.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 4.72
- Hits: 8.70
- Walks: 3.70
- Strike Outs: 8.33
Defense
- Runs: 4.86
- Hits: 8.30
- Walks: 4.19
- Strike Outs: 8.67
Cardinals vs Braves MLB Betting Trends
- Cardinals are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 6 of St. Louis’ last 8 games against an opponent in the National League East division
- Braves are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games this season
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta’s last 6 games at home
- Braves are 57-52 against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons
- Cardinals are 65-48 against the money line in road games in night games over the last 3 seasons
- Wainwright is 9-3 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 3.52 and a WHIP of 1.340
- Teheran is 2-3 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 3.18 and a WHIP of 1.294
Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction for Cardinals vs Braves
Given how both of these teams are playing, we are looking at a bit of a coin flip here. I actually have a good feeling about the Braves here, as I like them to win and cover the spread, taking the series in the process.
Score: St. Louis Cardinals 3 – Atlanta Braves 5
