Let’s size these teams up before we consider the Braves vs. Cardinals odds. The Cardinals (72-53) are coming off of a five-game series with the Chicago Cubs.
MLB Performance Recap
St. Louis won three of those outings, including an 8-3 decision on Thursday. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt launched a pair of home runs in that triumph, notching five RBIs in total.
Digit-Knocks for the Redbirds
In a 16-hit effort, five other Redbirds had double-digit knocks. That group included designated hitter Lars Nootbaar, outfielders Corey Dickerson and Brendan Donovan, third baseman Tommy Edman, and catcher Andrew Knizner.
The Cardinals, who were on the road at Wrigley Field, led wire-to-wire as Dakota Hudson picked up his seventh victory of the campaign. He pitched seven frames, allowing two runs.
St. Louis has built a respectable lead for itself in the NL Central, creating some distance from the Milwaukee Brewers. Six games separate those two clubs.
The Cardinals are one of four teams in the Senior Circuit to have at least 40 wins at home. They’ve won 10 of their last 12 overall.
Braves Should Defend the World Series Crown
Atlanta (79-48) is on quite the roll, too, as it seeks to defend its World Series crown. The Braves are winners of 14 of their last 16 contests and are coming off a three-game sweep at lowly Pittsburgh. They dispatched the Pirates 14-2 on Wednesday.
First baseman Matt Olson registered three hits, including an eighth-inning grand slam. Left fielder Robbie Grossman had three knocks, as well, while shortstop Dansby Swanson and backstop William Contreras both had two.
Braves Collective Batting Average
Starting hurler Kyle Wright went seven innings and came out with his 16th win of the season. The Braves currently grade out in the top third of MLB in terms of collective batting average.
They’re hitting .252 altogether and have the third-most RBIs in the bigs, behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.
A pair of solid National League competitors match wits Friday night when the Cardinals and Braves meet. Read this article to find out who will come out on top.
The former is also the only team with more total homers, as Atlanta has gone deep 190 times this year. It’s been a group effort for the Braves.
Swanson paces the order with a .291 mark at the plate, while third baseman Austin Riley leads with 31 dingers. Olson has 87 RBIs, and right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. with a .368 on-base percentage.
Nine different team members have at least ten homers this go-round. Let’s take a peek at the MLB odds today.
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves Odds
Braves vs. Cardinals odds for today favor the visiting squad. Atlanta is -1.5 on the run line at +130, while the Cardinals are -146 to cover the spread.
On the moneyline, the Braves are -142 and St. Louis a +120 underdog. The total has been set at 7.5 runs, with the over being -104 and the under -118 at the time of this writing.
Goldschmidt After a Triple Crown
The Cardinals rank in the top five in the majors as it pertains to team batting average. With a .259 mark in that category, they’ve also driven in the fourth-most base runners in baseball. St. Louis ranks in the top ten when it comes to homers also.
Goldschmidt, who’s chasing a Triple Crown, has been far and away the team’s best threat. He leads the team with a .339 batting average, 33 long balls, 105 RBIs, and a .420 on-base percentage.
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves Betting Preview
Southpaw Jose Quintana will make the start for the hosts. He’s 4-5 this year with a 3.45 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP.
The Cardinals have won all four of his outings since he came over in a trade from divisional foe Pittsburgh. His last time out, he lasted only 2.2 innings against Arizona, conceding seven hits and four runs.
Opposing him will be the Braves’ Spencer Strider, who is 7-4 with a sub-3.00 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. He went six frames against Houston last Saturday, allowing three hits and a single earned run in a no-decision.
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves Picks and Predictions
We’ve seen the Braves vs. Cardinals odds. We’ve broken down the MLB team stats. Now, let’s make our MLB picks today.
Who to Bet On?
With both teams on fire and both offenses firing on all cylinders, it makes for an interesting prediction. When you dive deeper, though, it’s not hard to see that the defending champs have more firepower.
That will be the slight difference in this one. Take the Braves to cover the spread in one of the more entertaining MLB games today.
MLB Pick: Braves -1.5 (+120)
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