Making it to the playoffs after a grueling 162-game season in the MLB is always an accomplishment, but it’s one that can often feel a little hollow after losing in the opening round. The reality is that only the biggest baseball fans and statisticians remember the losers of the Wild Card Game, with most of hard-pressed to even remember the loser of the World Series beyond the past couple of years. Every team that gets a shot at the postseason wants to make the most of it, and one of the best ways to measure how far a team might go is seeing how they play in the regular season when facing the best teams in the league.
The St. Louis Cardinals are very much in the National League playoff picture and will have an opportunity to show what they have in a series against the LA Dodgers, the team that has represented the NL in each of the last two World Series. The Dodgers come into the Tuesday night game favored by 1 ½, with the run total for this one set at 8.
Cardinals vs Dodgers MLB Odds & Pick for Tuesday Night
- When: Tuesday, August 6 at 10:10 PM EST
- Where: Dodger Stadium, LA
- Starting Pitchers: Mikolas vs. Kershaw
- TV: MLB Extra Innings
- Radio: SiriusXM
- Live Stream: MLB.tv
- MLB Odds: LA Dodgers -210 (Total 8)
Nationals vs Giants MLB Betting Lines & Expert Analysis
Weather Forecast
- Sunny: 26°C/78°F
- Humidity: 52%
- Precipitation: 0%
- Cloud Cover: 17%
- Wind: 7 mph SSW
- Stadium Type: Open
Why bet on the St. Louis Cardinals?
For most of the season, the Cardinals spent their time sitting just off the pace being set by the Cubs and Brewers in the NL Central, but they recently went on a run that saw them finally get to the top of the division. That lead proved to be short-lived, though, as they have now lost 3 straight games at the same time as the Cubs won 4 in a row, which means that the Cardinals are now once again 2 ½ games out of the lead.That is not a lot of ground to make up, though, especially when you consider that consistency has been an issue for every single team in the Central. The Cardinals did not get off to a great start in LA, getting shelled 8-0 in the series opener to take their road record to 27-30 SU. As a road dog, they are 23-16 ATS this season. It will be Miles Mikolas (7-11, 4.00 ERA) starting this one.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 4.51
- Hits: 8.23
- Walks: 3.22
- Strike Outs: 8.57
Defense
- Runs: 4.34
- Hits: 8.09
- Walks: 3.44
- Strike Outs: 8.68
Why bet on the LA Dodgers?
While the Dodgers could probably afford to take their foot off the gas a little, given that they have an 18-game lead in the NL West, there is no sign that they are about to do that. After taking out the Cardinals in the opening game of this series, the Dodgers have now won 3 in a row and 7 of their last 10 games.
They have turned their own ballpark into something of a fortress, taking their season record at Dodger Stadium to an astonishingly good 44-15. Strangely enough, though, the Cardinals have been a tough out for the Dodgers this season, with St. Louis taking 4 of 5 in the season series. Clayton Kershaw (10-2, 2.85 ERA) will be on the mound to try and improve that record for the Dodgers.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 5.44
- Hits: 8.81
- Walks: 3.83
- Strike Outs: 8.18
Defense
- Runs: 3.93
- Hits: 7.62
- Walks: 2.32
- Strike Outs: 9.09
Phillies vs Diamondbacks MLB Odds, Game Info & Pick
Cardinals vs Dodgers MLB Betting Trends
- Cardinals are 7-2 SU in their last 9 games against an opponent in the National League
- The total has gone UNDER in 7 of St. Louis’ last 8 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers
- Dodgers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games at home
- The total has gone UNDER in 6 of LA Dodgers’ last 8 games
- Cardinals are 4-16 against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
- Dodgers are 44-15 against the money line in home games this season
- Mikolas is 1-0 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 1.000
- Kershaw is 7-9 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 3.71 and a WHIP of 1.187
Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction for Cardinals vs Dodgers
The Dodgers looked to be a class above the Cardinals in their 8-0 win on Monday night, and I think we can expect another big win for them with Kershaw on the mound.Score: St. Louis Cardinals 2 – LA Dodgers 6
